FFVII: Core Metallicity
by Whetu
Summary: Prologue: JENOVA still affects the lives of those who received her cursed gift, Zax learns this the hard way. When the life of his best friend is placed in danger, the resulting war between Zax and Veld threatens to bring about a total extinction event on Gaia. Allies and Exiles take sides.(A sequel to FFVII: No Regrets.)
1. Chapter 1

**Auther's Note:** FFVII: Core Metallicity is a sequel to FFVII: No Regrets ( s/12653858/1/FFVII-No-Regrets) Part 1 of the FFVII: Fan Compilation series. So I'd recommend giving No Regrets a look at, to get more out of Core Metallicity.

Before I go and let you get on with it, a big thank you to anyone who dose give ether fic a read!

 **Content Warning:** Torture, injury, abuse, abduction, crashes, explosives, sex (explicit consent and soft detail), overt affection, food.

* * *

Following the directions that Kunsel's aunt Trader had mailed to em, Kunsel and Zax navigated the buggy down the paved roads of Condor town. They had found the recently established town, to be an appreciable collection of practical buildings designed to home many, each with their own communal kitchen and bathroom block. There were also sanctuaries dedicated to several faiths, parks, and spaces set aside for the production of food as well as the ingredients needed for medicine. Murals decorated most outer walls, and there were banners and string lights crossing above the roads. The murals and banners offered messages of welcome, anti ShinRa resistance, or directions to free shelter food and health care.

Next to Zax, Kunsel thought aloud, drawing his attention.

"There's the forge, so that must be…" Kunsel squinted at the building next to the forge, from behind the buggys steering wheel. "...yup, she said it had a mural of birds on the front." Ee pointed out the building. It's facade painted with a clear blue sky as well as an assortment of birds, including condors, ravens, chocobo at ground level, and even a phoenix in all it's colorful glory.

It was december month, soon they would be welcoming in the new year, e? 0013. And this was the first time Kunsel had visited ees family, rather than the other way around, since Zax had first gone missing. It also marked the first time Zax would be meeting ees family in person at all.

The lights were on in the building. Several people sat on its front steps around some candles, talking and laughing, a few of them had instruments which they were playing.

Zax gave Kunsel an excited look, once they had parked up across the road. "I hope your aunt and her partner like me." He confessed. He felt nervous, but as Kunsel had said, things could only go so wrong.

"Try to keep the charm at a manageable level ay?" Kunsel teased him, while ee unfastened ees seatbelt and stepped from the buggy.

"We'll see." Zax meshed his fingers and pushed ees palms outward in a stretch.

When Kunsel had circled around the buggy, they crossed the road together.

One among the group outside of the housing building, sat up straighter upon their approach.

"Kunsel, Zax!" She greeted them with enthusiasm. "Trader said you'd be arriving tonight. She and Swayer are in the kitchen."

Zax recognized the woman clasping Kunsel's hand, as Chelsea Cliff. The girl who with her father had run the forge in Midgar, that had been a cover for AVALANCHE. She was in her thirties now, an attractive grown woman.

Chelsea's friends welcomed them also, with a wave and a smile or a word. "So Traders elusive goddesschild does exist." One of them said. Another added in equally jesting tones. "We were beginning to think you were made up Kunsel."

"Ee was a spy after all." Chelsea admonish them unseriously. "Ee wouldn't have been right for the job if ee was easy to to pin down." Then Under her breath, in more grave tones she told Kunsel. "I warned my father to keep out of your way, after what he did."

Kunsel gave her hand another pat. "I've said I don't blame you, he lied to you, you couldn't have done anything without knowing the truth."

She sighed out some old weariness, bestowed a grateful smile on Kunsel. Then allowed ee and Zax past.

"Should I ask what Cliff did?" Zax spoke up, once they had stepped into the coat room, and the door was closed behind them.

"Cliff abandoned the shop while you were on that assignment in Nibelheim, so I couldn't ask him to contact Avalanche for me." Kunsel started, as if answering on autopilot. "If I'd been able to get ahold of Felecia, she might have been able to stop Sephiroth. You, her, and Cloud together could have taken him. Or at least she could have got you and Cloud out of ShinRa mansion much sooner…Anyway, Chelsea doesn't know about the last part. She blames herself already, but it wasn't her fault. I didn't tell her about what happened to you, because I didn't want to worsen her sense of guilt. And because it was to hard to talk about most of the time." Ee stopped speaking, ees lips pressed together in an expression of frustration.

Zax gently nudged ee's shoulder, and they carried on to find the kitchen. But while they passed through the common lounge, with its crackling fireplace, and assortment of couches all occupied. Zax's thoughts lingered on what Kunsel had said, he considered that Kunsel had had far too many years to go back and forth over what could have been. The way ee had talked just before made it seem like the thing was scared into ees mind, and it would probably be some time before that scar faded, if it faded at all.

Though the kitchen off of the lounge was spacious, it's terracotta ceiling and white plastered walls helped it to feel cozy, and it even had it's own flatbread oven. There were odd cups dishes and jars in abundance, many of the latter filled with tomatoes or jam, and a tempting aroma of food greeted them. Seated at a small breakfast table by the flatbread oven were it was warmest, they found Trader and Swayer just like they had been told they would. On seeing the two women, who were waving them over, Zax's thoughts turned for the time to making their acquaintance.

"You made it here so fast! How was your trip babe?" Kunsel's auntie greeted em with a one armed hug, the other arm she kept on her crutch.

Swayer seemed to draw breath as if to add to her partners words, but stopped when she caught sight of Zax over Kunsel's shoulder, and got her first good look at him.

For his part, Zax felt like he had been zapped with a paralysis spell from a gem ring like the one Kunsel carried.

The change in Swayer drew Traders attention to him also.

Zax gave a little wave, then stepped up beside Kunsel when ee motioned him over.

"I've seen your photo." Trader's eyes traced the scar crossing his jaw, an obvious identifying mark. "You're Zax aren't you? How…" She didn't appear to know how to ask the question, and it remained unvoiced.

"It's a long story." Kunsel told the two women, not quit managing to suppress the smile that dimpled the corners of ees lips.

"It's good to finally meet you both." Zax offered his hand.

Trader bypassed the outstretched hand, to hug Zax like she had hugged Kunsel. At first Zax was surprised, but he quickly overcame this. Returning the hug in kind, he threw inhibition aside and squeezing her like she was his own family. After all, she had known of his relation to her goddesschild since before his return from the lifestream to the surface. He had been able to keep an eye out for her from the beyond.

Swayer had just done giving Kunsel a hug, when trader released Zax. So as a group they migrated to the warmth of the flatbread oven. Trader saying. "It might be a long story, but you're staying the night aren't you? Humor me." She added hastily. "If you can talk about it that is, no obligations."

"Ah well…" Zax looked to Kunsel, feeling Kunsel could explain in more eloquent terms. But Kunsel only nodded his way, encouraging Zax to tell the thing in his own words. Zax returned his attention to Trader and Swayer. "...for the sake of others involved, I'll be vague about some details. But the short of it is, this body is a copy of my original."

"Like the Genesis copies, or Sephiroth copies that Kunsel told us about?" Trader asked. Blinking in astonishment.

"Just like that yeah." Zax confirmed. "This isn't my original body. But hey, it's a perfect fit. It has a modification as a result of a human experiment, that allowed me to bridge over from the lifestream. And we'll here I am today, thanks to Kunsel, and our other friends helping to put me back together again."

Swayer let out a long exhale between her lips. "All I can say is I'm impressed." She told him, upon handing him a platter stacked with flatbread and toppings.

Trader similarly passed Kunsel a plate stacked just as high. Saying to Zax while she did. "However you managed it exactly, we're glad you're back hun."

"It's great to be meeting you." Swayer agreed with her partner.

At this Zax elbowed Kunsel, who was tucking in to ees first bite of flatbread. "I think they like me." He joked.

Kunsel snorted, but ees mouth was to full for em to make any further comment.

"So can I ask what the lifestream was like?" Trader next quarried, tentative in doing so. "Again if it's an uncomfortable topic…"

"Nah, it's cool." Zax shrugged. "You both have a background related to mining right?"

"That's right." Swayer agreed.

"We'll." Zax went on. "If you've ever come in to contact with mako, or seen cases of mako poisoning, it's a bit like that. Like being half awake and unable to fully surface."

"Mako is the liquid form of the lifestream after all." Kunsel offered when ee could manage the words. "So it makes sense that it would have a similar effect on a living person, to the effects of the lifestream on someone who's returned to the planet."

"Wait!" Zax's cut in. "Is that why materia is called materia, coz it's the solid form?"

"That's right." Swayer laughed at his sudden realization. "Materia is actually the Kalmish word for both 'Matter' and 'subject', though actually lifestream in all of its phases is matter."

"I have heard people say that mako poisoning is like recovering from a sedative, or that its a bit like being drunk?" Trader returned them to the original query.

"I'd say that captures the bulk of the experience. But there were rare occasions when I was more lucid, and I could still affect my surroundings or anything linked to stagnant lifestream."

"Actually, he protected me during meteor fall that way. By used the measure of control he had within the lifestream, to save my life. If it wasn't for Zax I would have developed geostigma, no question about it." Kunsel mentioned, with a warm glance in Zax's direction.

Traders brows shot up, and her eyes darted to Zax, looking him over anew.

"Then K turned right around and wrestled me back from death. So if we were keeping count, I reckon we would break about even, as far as saving each others butt goes." He didn't mention it, what he and Kunsel had shared was already a lot to take in. But ee had also been something of a solid core for Zax, keeping him from compleat erosion by the planet. He wanted to thank Kunsel for protecting him as well. But held off, prefering to bring it up when they had a private moment.

Once the four of them had finished their dinner. Zax volunteered to help trader wash the dishes, so that Kunsel wouldn't have to remove ees gloves, and explain ees missing fingers if ee didn't want to. While Zax and Trader scrubbed, wrinced, dried and stacked. Kunsel and Swayer took the half dozen pieces of flatbread out into the communal living area, to offer the other residence.

"I really appreciate what you did, protecting em from becoming sick with geostigma." Trader told Zax in personal tones. "For ees sake, as well as mine, and ees mothers. I promised to look after em you know, if anything happened to her."

Elbows deep in foamy water, Zax listened. Trader seemed content to carry the conversation, and he wasn't sure what he could add without it coming out wrong. Modesty would only seem belittling, nor did he want to apear puffed up.

Swayer and Kunsel returned eventually, reporting that the flatbread had been much appreciated.

"That base is still the best I've ever tasted." Swayer told them.

"Family recipe, you'll have to marry me to get a hold of it." Trader goaded her long time partner. Putting down her tea towel, she used her crutch to get to her feet.

"Is that so?" Zax wondered, while he dried his hands off. "Cos that was some really good eats...Hey K, wanna get married?" Zax called over his shoulder with a laugh.

"Sure." Kunsel returned in an overly casual menner. From where ee was busy stacking away the last of the dishes.

They all together laughed at this, but Zax felt his whole body grow light at the recollection of the agreement Kunsel and he had made. They might not be getting married any time soon, their affection for one another might not be the traditional kind, but it was a fit for them. The second chance they had been given, offered the opportunity to share many more years with one another, like Trader and Swayer. He couldn't help a triumphant smile taking charge of his face, upon considering the number of times they had both defied death, to be alive here tonight.

"Let's show them their room." Trader next suggested to Swayer. Then addressing Kunsel and Zax. "I'm sure you could both do with a rest, it is getting late. We'll catch up tomorrow, after you've slept." She waved for them to follow after her.

The room was cozy. A reverse painted lamp giving of a soft moody light, stood on a reclaimed wooden filing cabinet. The cabinet in turn sat on a Nibelheim rug, between two trundle beds. Each bed was laden with a thick mattress, duvet and crochet throw, as well as cushions and pillows. The room had one wide short window in it's exposed brick wall, over which a blind hung. Completing the bedroom, a chair sood to one side of the door, a trunk occupied the other.

"We hope you'll be comfortable." Trader told them.

"This will more then do." Kunsel thanked her.

Zax thought so too, nodding in emphasis of Kunsel's words.

At last they bayed the two women a good night. Trader expressing. "It's so good to have you both here at last, don't wait so long next time."

"It's great to be here." Zax told her genuinely.

When they were left alone, the door closing behind the retreating Swayer. Zax eyes met Kunsel's, and he and Kunsel immediately broke in to a wrestling match, with Zax struggling towards the bed that had been made up with the chocobo printed duvet cover. While Kunsel hauled him back, one boot braced against the bed frame, ees arms encircling Zax's middle. Zax laughed, unused to inhabiting a body he found ee was more susceptible to the tickles, even unintentional tickles. But despite his laughter Zax managed to twist from Kunsel's hold, only to have Kunsel vault ahead landing on the bed.

Unwilling to admit defeat so soon, Zax declared. "You asked for it!" Launching himself at Kunsel and the bed, Zax called. "Meteor shot!" Landing crosswise over his companion.

"Ooof, heavy as a duelhorn!" Kunsel complained. "Traitor, using the limit I taught you against your old fellow, no fair!"


	2. Chapter 2

"A gil for your thoughts?" Fang prompted Felicia, coming to sit next to her on the ramp outside the station 8 doors. She handed Felicia one of the hot carob drinks that she had brought out with her. And began helping the younger woman to untangle a box of string lights, which would be used to decorate the station for the season.

Felicia took the drink with a smile, letting the beverage warm her hands. "I'm just worried about Kunsel, Zax too."

"Want to talk about it?"

Felicia bowed her head, watching the heat rise from her drink in the chilly morning air of december month. "I know they're far from pushovers. But my papa…no Veld, he was really intense about all this Jenova, DMW and SND stuff, he believes it's his responsibility to eradicate anything and anyone related to ShinRa and it's legacy, ShinRa's victims are no exception. He's always been staunch about duty, no matter the cost. I guess I'm just worried about Kunsel and Zax out there so soon after the fallout at the WRO."

"We'll be keeping in touch with them, and they'll be safe with Cissnei and Balto soon."

Felicia lifted her cup to sip from the brim. Lowering it again she said. "I wonder if I did the right thing, coming to the plate so soon. I might have been more help undercover at Veld's side."

Fang smiled. "We can never know how things will play out, we can only do what's best for others and ourselves in the moment, and make guesses as to the future. In this situation, I think you where right to get out of there while you could."

Fang was probably right. If she had stayed, she might have become just another hostage along with Emma and other dissenting Exiles. After all, it had taken convincing from the Turks and the Exiles for him to act in her defense those years ago. Further still Veld had been willing to cover up the first bombing of Kalm, her mother's death, Hojo's experimentation at Nibelhime. Besides, there were a thousand other atrocities he had been privy to in his career, to many to count. "Thanks for saying so." She told Fang gratefully, the assurance helped in the midst of her self doubt. There was no use in second guessing now, she had to have confidence, she knew that whatever happened her decision was for the best.

* * *

Cloud's lips curved into a fond smile, when Denzel came jogging down the seventh heaven's front steps, to meet him out front.

"Got everything?" Cloud asked. Giving Danzel a hand up onto the Fenrir.

"Ah-huh." Denzel fitted his helmet on to his head.

Arriving in Denzel's wake Barrett, Tifa, Aeris and Marlene came to the door, wanting to see their two friends off on the delivery run to the WRO headquarters.

"Say hello to Shelke and Cait for us!" Marlene urged of Denzel.

"Reeve and vincent too." Tifa added.

Denzel pressed down his visor, and gave the others the thumbs up accompanied by a muffled. "Will do."

"Spiky, make sure that mythril ore gets there alright." Barrett emphasised. He had mined it himself, during his last trip to Kalm. It was the first raw mythril that had been brought up since the mine had been abandoned those years ago.

For his part Cloud offered a nod. "You can depend on it." He told the man in his quiet manner, while he patted the side of the Fenrir's under seat compartment. Then collectively addressing those who were remaining at the 7th Heaven. "Stay out of trouble you lot." Next Cloud hit the switch and he and Denzel were away, down the street shared by motor and foot traffic.

On reaching Meteor Square, they made a half circle, orbiting the monument at the center of the city's busiest roundabout. Finally they took the road leading west out of Edge.

The old continents north was as wintery as Shiva in December. Cloud had to drive carefully on the icy roads, until they had left Edge city behind them for the open valley, with its rougher terrain to provide better grip.

The weather being the way it was with the snow beginning to fall, there were no wildflowers around, but corse hardy grasses had taken over what had been a wasteland not long befor. Bleak as it was, Denzel who had been a plate dweller in Midgar for the first part of his life, was always fascinated by the sights outside of Edge. He would cast around at their surroundings while they raced through the landscape, and a couple of times Cloud pulled over so that the young man could explore.

"We won't be visiting that cliff place anymore, since the hero Zax is alive now, right?" Denzel asked, while scouting around about a rock formation, during one of their stops.

"That's right, when he and his friend Kunsel come to Edge next I'll introduce you, if you're comfy with that. He's a good guy, fun to be around, so I'm sure it wouldn't be to awkward." Cloud knew Denzel was naturally shy, despite this he seemed to like the idea.

When cloud was sure Denzel was well occupied, he turned to checking his mail.

[To: Strife Delivery][From: Reeve Tuesti][Subject: Mythril delivery.][Mail: You and Denzel are still planning to arrive late in the day? If so one of the apartments (no 7 nextdoor to Shelke) has been prepared for you both, if you'd rather not travel back to Edge in the dark. Assuming you do stay the night, and aren't looking to get going again right away. We'd be glad if you'd have dinner with us. - RT and the family.]

Cloud punched in a response

[To: Reeve Tuesti][From: Strife Delivery][Subject: Mythril delivery reply][Mail: Thanks for thinking of us as always. I'd rather not drive the Fenrir at night with the kid, and I don't want to keep him up to late, so we'll accept the offer. And we might see you at dinner, Denzel's looking forward to seeing Shelke and Cait Sith again.]

He found himself wondering if Genesis would be eating with them. Shelke had mailed everyone living at the 7th Heaven numerous times, since Genesis had taken up residence at the WRO headquarters. And Cloud and the others had always gotten the impression that She and her parents both were getting on well with him.

Pocketing his PHS, Cloud looked up to find that Denzel was finished poking around in the grass, looking for cactuar mandragora and rilfsak that might have been using the rock's as a habitat.

"Find anything?" Cloud asked him.

"This." Denzel reached out to tip an armor piercing round in to Cloud's gloved palm.

Cloud looked it over, clearly not the weapon of a hunter. A chill that had nothing to do with the season, seeped in beneath Cloud's coat. It was entirely possible that some hack had just been out here fooling around, a senseless thing to be doing sure. But the round might also be evidence of Veld's Exiles in the area.

Seeing Denzel watching him with concern, Cloud put the shell away in a pocket, and helped his son on to the bike once more. Reassuringly he told the boy. "It's probably nothing, but I'll show it to Vincent when we get to the WRO." Then they were driving again.

Since being cut off by Rufus, the Exiled Turks had become something of an unknown factor. All Cloud and the others knew for sure was that the Exiles had been ordered to watch the 7th Heaven, the WRO, Healen, and Midgar's station workers. Yuffie, Reno and Rude had been monitoring the situation closely. But with the Exiles constantly on the move, operating erratically. It had been difficult sofar to know what they were planning, or what their next move might be.

"Cloud, Denzel." Shelke greeted them on the causeway, extending from the back of the WRO headquarters, out over the mountain range. As ever, she welcomed them in her no frills manner. "You arrived just before the worst of it." She observed, motioning with a gesture towards the turbulent sky. Next she lead them around to the main doors.

As if to emphasize the statement she had made about the brewing storm, thunder rumbled in the distance emanating from the direction of the sea, west of Edge's scant but glimmering lights. The view was really something from the World Regenisis Organizations front step.

Shelke ushered Cloud and Denzel through the atrium foyer, to the lifts, which they took up to the floor were the cafeteria was located.

The cafeteria provided food for all of the WRO's live in volunteers, and guests. The meals were prepared using not lavish, but quality ingredients, all fairly sourced. And the cook's themselves voluntears, made food that was honestly tasty while meeting the dietary requirements of the people who used the service. It was a pleasant welcoming place to eat.

Waiting for them around one of the tables, situated near the windows, Reeve and Vincent were playing a game of summon chess.

"What are the stakes?" Cloud asked on approaching their table to draw up a seat, coaxing Denzel in to a chair also.

"Who gets to choose the december month decorations." Shelke filled him in.

"It's good to see you both!" Reeve greeted his guests. Then on the topic of festival decor. "I'm thinking golden string lights, scented evergreen branches, decorative gourds…" He described with hand gestures.

"Good luck Vinc." Cloud joked at Reeve's expense.

"It's the gourds isn't it?" Reeve asked in a tone of mock offence.

"It's the gourds." Shelke agreed. "Say no to gourds."

"Everyone's a critic." Came a new voice.

Turning in his seat, Cloud found Genesis striding towards them. Dressed in a carmine wool suit, and wearing a cardigan underneath. A silver thread running through the knit of the cardi, complemented the silver earring that Cloud always remembered him wearing.

"Paint them with dashes of gold though, or turn them into carved candle holders, and you rase the december month decor bar." Genesis went on, while taking the seat on Cloud's other side.

Cloud couldn't susout weather or not Genesis was being sincere about the guards, so he pressed on to introductions.

"This is my son Denzel. And you won't recognize me, I was with the infantry, I'm…"

Genesis finished for him. "Cloud strife, yes I know." His cordial smile was rufull for a moment. "You were with Avalanche when it came to stopping Sephiroth, the remnants, deepground. When you're not saving the world, you run a well trusted delivery service. I'm acquainted with the lifestream, I know what happens on this planet. And dear Shelke and her parents here, have been kind enough to fill me in on the exact details."

For an instant Cloud was surprised, he hadn't expected that Genesis would even remember his time with ShinRa's infantry. Let alone know of him post Zax leaving Genesis in Banora, when they had been on the run from ShinRa. The thought recalled to Cloud's memory, something Zax had mentioned in his most recent mail. "Thank you for helping Zax to return to life, for helping to give my good friend a second chance. I appreciate it."

Genesis meet Cloud's eyes for an extended moment, a gesture Cloud again couldn't exactly make out. Then Genesis's eyes slid down the fusion sword, the blade leaning against the back of Cloud's chair. At last he smiled, a subdued but genuine expression transforming his features.

"So what are the organic life forms having for supper?" Cait Sith announced his arrival. Pulling up a chair, he sat himself between Denzel and Shelke, menus in cartoonish hand.

* * *

"You can confirm that Kunsel and Zax are currently in Condor?" From the Fate warehouse club in Edge city, Veld inquired of his subordinate over a call.

"Yes sir." Freyra codenamed 'shotgun' returned. "Give us the order, and we'll move in on the targets."

"No, don't take any action just yet, the people of Condor will back them if it comes to a fight, and they're veterans at fending off Soldier, infantry, and Turks alike in Condor. Wait until the targets leave town, Nunchaku, Maur and I will meet you and Emma on the road." Veld coordinated the plan.

"We have the rifle that Corneo donated to us. We could easily destroy their buggy from a distance." Freyra suggested, ever eager as was her nature.

"No, I want Kunsel alive." It was imperative to Veld's plan that Kunsel be captured alive. He had a particular use for em in mind, but once ees usefulness was exhausted, then Kunsel could at last be killed.

"Understood. We can meet you on the highway to the docs. We'll keep in contact over COMM."

"Maintain your cover until then."

With fewer resources, and smaller numbers now that Rufus had withdrawn his support, leaving them with only Don Corneo's backing. Veld and the Exiles would need to intercept their targets while they were isolated and vulnerable. He had Freyra stationed along with several others, watching Kunsel's family in Condor, from a nearby hostel. Originally the plan had been to cut the targets off on their way from Midgar to Condor, knowing that both of them would likely be visiting family before december was out. But somehow they had slipped past Veld's Exiles, making it out of Midgar in a buggy without being seen. However this might work to his advantage in some ways, in this scenario Kunsel and Zax would be further from Edge and Midgar, therefore further from the aid of AVALANCHE or the station workers. So if Veld was going to deal to these two, he only needed to do so before they could seek refuge with Cissnei and Balto in Gongaga to the south of the new continent.

* * *

Close to wear Veld leaning against a sidewall, talked in to his PHS. Yuffie among the thrumming crowd, threw her head this way and that the fibers of her neon wig whipping about hear face, while her body acted as a medium translating trance music into movement.

Withdrawing some papers from a pocket, so as to appear as if she were leaving the club to roll a smoke, Yuffie ducked out of the crowd. Feeling that she had not been observed leaving, she sat on the step were she composed a massage on her handset.

[To: Silver][From: White Rose][Subject: On the move][Mail: Just overheard Veld ordering his Exiles to go after Zax and Kunsel, on their way from Condor to the docs. Emma, Nunchaku, Maur and probably shotgun (since my intelligence network lost track of her and Emma around the same time). Veld will be with them too.]

Argento who went by the codename 'Silver' responded promptly.

[To: White Rose][From: Silver][Subject: Your orders][Mail: I have passed this information on to Reno and Rude, who will contact Rufus on the matter. And I will be bringing director Tuesti up to date once I have sent this mail. For now, you and Irina be ready to head out that towards the docs.]

Picking herself up off the step, Yuffie slipped away into the dim streets. Pulling a nondescript coat on over her fluro get up, she hid her wig in one of the pockets, replacing the wig with a beanie helped her look like any other on a late night stroll. Soon Elena similarly dressed and going by the cover name 'Irina', joined her side on the way to the helicopter.

Once Yuffie had made herself comfortable in the copilot's seat, or at least as comfortable as she could ever feel in the air. And when Elena and taken up the senior pilots seat. Yuffie told her companion what she had learned. "Veld is after Zax and Kunsel, your sister will be with him. I've already informed Argento who's going to coordinate with her station workers, Reeve, Rufus and the other Turks."

Gun, or rather Emma, was one Exile that they suspected of being a decenter who could be flipped given the chance. Emma's younger sister Elena, Rufus, and the other Turks especially wanted to give her the opportunity to escape Veld. And if she did change sides, she would be able to offer valuable leverage, that would help in ending Veld's crusade against those whose lives had been affected by JENOVA, the Digital Mind Wave experiments, and the SND.

But just how they were going to get Emma out of there? That remained to be seen. The look on Elena's face told Yuffie that she was all kinds of anxious on her sister's behalf.


	3. Chapter 3

After their meal had been concluded, and post dinner drinks were being had, Cloud turned his chair sideways to look out on the view of Edge. While Shelke, Denzel and Cait discussed Denzel's visiting the WRO laboratorys. And Vincent and Reeve came to an agreement on the tastefulness of wickerwork chocobo ornaments.

"The fusion sword, it suits you better than infantry fatigues." Genesis commented, turning his own seat like Cloud had. He took a sip from his suitably festiv hot berry, apple and spice drink. "You've inherited the legacy well."

"Zax's?...or no, Angeal's legacy." Cloud guessed in a tone meant for Genesis's ears only, assuming that the thing was a sensitive subject to be safe.

Genesis hummed. "Yes, but perhaps you've been that way all along." He mused.

Cloud shook his head minutely, never quit convinced. "Can but try I suppose."

Uttering his next words, Genesis spoke firmly. "What Avalanche, and what you did for the planet...thank you."

Vincent's voice broke in on their quiet moment. "We've just received word from Argento and Rufus. They're saying Veld has sent his Exiles after Zax and Kunsel, who are staying at Condor town right now, but they will be traveling to Gongaga soon, according to those posted on Midgar's plate." He skim read from his hand set.

Cloud stood from his chair, Genesis arosse also.

Denzel looked to Cloud, clearly worried.

Shelke stepped away from the table to speak with Tseng on her PHS regarding the situation. Ending the call she told them. "Rufus feels that if we work this situation carefully, it could be the opportunity we've been looking for to deal with Veld, and help Emma and any other dissenters out of their situation. He wants a team from the WRO to come to Healen, so that our efforts can be coordinated. He says that if Zax and Kunsel can luer Veld and the Exiles out in to the open, then we can combat them without the risk of civilians being caught up in the crossfire."

"First we need to contact Zax and Kunsel, and do so before they leave Condor town. If this plan requires them to essentially act as bait, then they need to be given the choice of opting out. They should at least have a warning." Reeve insisted. Everyone was in agreement with this, so he busied himself composing mail for the two in question.

"I'll go" Both Cloud and Genesis said at once. "To Healen." Cloud clarified. He and Genesis shared a look, understanding passing between them.

"Cloud, Genesis, you understand the risks." Vincent acknowledged rather than questioned.

Cloud knew that Veld was still smarting after what had happened in the WRO boardroom, before Kunsel and the others had left for Midgar to restore Zax. The chief of the Exiles would be raring to eliminate anything and anyone, directly related to the DMW the SND and JENOVA. A failed Sephiroth copy, and a one time SOLDIER general would be at the top of his hit list.

"Can Denzel stay here at the WRO?" Cloud asked.

"I'll watch him." Shelke offered, resting a reassuring hand on Denzel's shoulder.

"Then let's visit our neighbors at Healen." Genesis concluded.

"Good, it's decided." Reeve agreed. "While you collaborate with Rufus and his Turks. We'll keep in touch with you, the The stations at Midgar. Cloud would you alert the rest of Avalanche? Everyone should know what's happening, in case the exiles remaining in Edge get orders to attack."

"One more thing." Cloud produced the round his son had discovered. "Denzel found it on our way here. Veld and his people might have an armor piercing weapon."

"You'll go in The Shera then. I'll give Cid the call." Reeve's voice was grave.

* * *

Unnoticed by Kisaragi and Veradot both, a tall grey-blond woman had observed them from the warehouse mezzanine.

The woman in turn, drew out her own PHS and put threw a call. "The Exiles are organizing to intercept Kunsel and Zax." She promptly told the recipient of the call, without need to introduce herself, the call was a prearranged one. "The WRO's head of intelligence and espionage, has also discovered this and reported as much to her people." She paused on her way down the fire escape, to listen to the question put to her by the man on the line, before answering negatively. "No it couldn't glean anything more from Kisaragi's mail, and it was hard enough to see what I did from the balcony… Alright. Be careful." Ending the call, the woman left the Fate club, intending to shadow Kisaragi Yuffie.

* * *

Once Reno and Rude were off the line with Rufus, and Argento had turned her attention to informing the station 8 workers of the situation. Reno proposed. "We should let Cissnei and Balto know what's going on too, they should be ready in case Veld takes a helicopter over to Gongaga in pursuit."

"Hmmm." Rude intoned his agreement, while singing. "I'll call them. You keep the boss informed." Hitting Cissnei's number in his handset's quick dial list, he held the device to the side of his head. "We've got news on Veld..." Rude started.

While Rude talked on his PHS. Reno kept up a text based dialogue with Tseng at Healen, as well as Elena and Yuffie, who were stationed in the field receiving feedback from Yuffie's intelligence network the second Crescent Unit.

* * *

The Shera airship was being prepped to Take himself and Genesis to Healen Lodge. But first Cloud walked Denzel to the WRO residential block apartment, that had been intended for their stay.

"Shelke will be nextdoor. And Reeve says that Cait can stay with you in the apartment if that's what you want, in case you need anything."

"I'll be alright Ouder. You just stay safe ok?"

"Genesis and I will look out for each other." Cloud promised. "Keep your PHS close by, in case I need to mail you."

Stopping in the apartment's bedroom doorway that Cait held open, Cloud crouched down and gave his son an extended hug. Standing at last he told the boy. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

"If I can't sleep, can I get up and play video games with Cait?" Denzel asked. As he got in to bed and allowed Cloud to draw the blankets up over his shoulder to his ear.

Knowing that it would be a hard thing for Denzel to sleep here alone while he was worried about Cloud, especially because this was all last minute. Cloud agreed. "Sure thing. But try to get a little sleep. Goodnight." Knowing that Denzel would be looked after, Cloud left the residential block for the causeway.

Rounding the WRO headquarters, he found Genesis, arms folded watching the Shera warm up for flight. The airships lights winking in the dark of the night, the crew in the soft light of the bridge hurrying about. He looked every bit the general he had once bean, maybe even more so. But a lot had happened since then, so Cloud felt at ease when he came to stand next to the other.

* * *

"Captain highwind says we're good for takeoff." Genesis informed Cloud when he joined his side. "Are you ready to go?" The question was non specific, but Cloud seemed to understand just fine when he answered.

"The sooner we get underway the better. Denzel's a pretty badass kid, he'll be fine here until I can get back to him."

Satisfied, Genesis followed Cloud aboard The Shera. Passing through several airlocks, the passenger bay, and a hall lined with automatic doors. They came in to the bridge, were Captain Cid Highwind was just giving the order to lift off, having been informed over ship wide COMM that everyone was aboard.

"Hah!" Highwind barked on spotting them. "First time aboard The Shera Genesis, I'd give you the grand tour myself, if I weren't so busy. But Cloud here's a bit of a motor head, he can show you around." Then addressing Cloud. "Can't you feather brain?" Having said this. The Shera rosse up off of the causeway smoothly, Highwind's attention was called away by his crew and the task at hand.

Cloud grunted at the nickname. But nevertheless began a commentary on the airship, in his characteristically demure tones. "The Shera was excavated a couple of years ago, from the mythril mines when the mines were returned to operation. It was discovered in a disassembled state, and the parts were transported to Rocket Town so that gaia's premier piolat and rocket engineer, Cid and Shera could study and reassemble the airship. The Shera was built by a previously unknown ancient people, not from any human or cetra culture. Much of The Shera's technology is still a mystery to us. What we do know is it's constructed mainly from pure mythril, giving it better resistance against projectiles. And it can use nearly anything as fuel from mako and oil derived, to solar energy, even recycled plastic or green waste will get it off the ground without causing damage."

Genesis was impressed. Making his way to the vast expanse of windows before him and below his feet, he asked. "Is this technology being adapted for common use at all?" While gazing out at the mountain range sailing past beneath the airship, the tops of trees catching the lights.

"There has been a start made on reverse engineering the relevant components, so that similar engines can be made widely available. Barrett's been working with archaeological specialists from Bone Village as well as geologists from Condor, to learn more about the excavation site, and how The Shera makes use of such a wide range of fuel types. Shera Highwind's still studying the ship as a whole too, She and Cid believe it might have the capacity for travel outside of Gaia's atmosphere."

"A lost technological wonder it seems." Genesis said with no small amount of fasination. That thought brought a childhood that seemed distant, back to the forefront of his memory. He recalled the place he had taken in the National Agriculture Awards Processed Foods Category, first for developing an innovative technique to produce Banora white apple juice. The juice had been full flavor, with entirely harmless preservatives, little wasted and an increase in nutrition and other benefits. He had wanted to improve the world, do right, even be a hero before his intentions and deeds had become twisted by abuse and malice. And now by doing all he could to help the planet and those around him, he had started on his redemption, a return to what had come naturally to him.

* * *

"This is Marlene Wallace, you've reached dad's PHS." Marlene answered the call for Barrett, who was busily helping Tifa and Aeris bring boxed of ingredients and sangria from the adjoining garage, in to the bar.

"Who is it kiddo?" Barrett called over.

"Hey Marni, it's Cloud. Can I speak to your dad please?"

"Yup." Marlena cherped. Hopping down from her barstool, were she had been mixing fruit juices, she ran around the counter holding the handset out for Barrett to take. "It's Cloud, he wants to speak to you!"

Taking the PHS from Marlene, and patting the girl on the top of her head. Barrett answered. "Yo, Spiky. How's it going? The mythril get there ok?"

"It did. But listen, Veld's making a move, we're going to try to keep ahead of him by use the opportunity to corner him and free Elena's sister. Which means that the Exiles watching the Seventh heaven might be ordered to attack, to prevent you and the others from intervening."

"So then we've got to get out of the bar, without being seen by the Exiles. How?"

"No. Veld doesn't know it yet, but it works in our favor if his forces are all tied up. We'll need you three to keep the Exiles busy there, long enough for us to get Veld on his own."

"Divide and conquer, got it!" Barrett said with Relish. "I'll have to call Rachel and johnny, ask them to take Marlene somewhere safe, it'll look like she's just visiting for a sleepover with Rachel and Johnny's little one."

"I'm sure my mother would love to have Marlena over, if Johnny could take her to Kalm." Aeris offered.

Barrett noded in Aeris's direction. "That sounds like a good idea, it's been awhile since Marlene's visited Elmyra." Then to Cloud still on the line. "You here that? We're all sorted."

"Alright. But you keep safe over there, ok?"

"We've got it Cloud, don't worry about us." Tifa called from the garage. "You just focus on your part in this."

Cloud in turn huffed good naturedly. "I've got to go Barrett, tell the others I said hi, see you all soon." Without much adieu, Cloud ended the call.

"Those people who have been watching the Seventh Heaven, are going to come here to pick a fight...aren't they?" Marlene asked of her father.

"Maybe." Barrett told her honestly.

She came forward for a hug, so he wrapped his arms around her, rubbing her small back comfortingly. "We're going to be ok, so don't worry the whole time you're visiting Kalm. Now pack your school bag with everything you'll need to stay over at Elmyra's for a bit."

Marlene noded more cheerfully, and wriggling free of her father's hold with a few giggles, she was up the stairs to do as he had requested.

* * *

Spotting Felicia passing by the door of station 8, Fang hailed her. "Hey, I need to talk with you a moment, in private." She told the younger woman. Catching Felicia's arm, she lead her around to the hanger at the back of the converted parking tower.

"What is it Fang, has something happened?" There was Concern coloring Felicia's voice.

Stepping in to one of the emergency transport crafts for greater privacy, and ushering Felicia in likewise. Fang explained to her what Argento had told her. "Veld has sent some of his Exiles after Kunsel and Zax."

"Shiva, I knew this would happen." Felicia growled. She stood as if to leave the transport craft, her grip already on the hilt of her sword.

Fang caught her wrist. Holding her in place, she assured. "Kunsel and Zax have been warned already, we're just waiting to hear back from them. Rufus ShinRa wants them to help him rescue one of his Turks, Elena's sister Emma."

"That's all well and good, but it should be me out there. Veld's my...my responsibility, not theirs. If Kunsel and Zax are hurt it will be my fault."

Fang felt a tug at her heart for her friend, it was december month, a time set aside for loved ones family and friends. Even Kunsel and Zax, against all odds, were off seeing their families. But Felicia, she was at war with her father, and taking the weight of the world on her shoulders like she had always done during her leadership of AVALANCHE. But aside from being there for her as a friend until this passed, there was little Fang felt she could do to make things alright.


	4. Chapter 4

The stragglers Zax and Trader, at last followed Kunsel and Swayer through from the neighboring forge facility, and patio area. The aroma of incense burned for the coming Wutai new year, in honor of Traders mother, accompanying them.

"Did you make that fireguard in front of the hearth, with the phenix design?" Zax asked Kunsel's aunt, while they crossed the rug strewn communal lounge.

"That I did. And these handrails, the kitchen counters, that coffee table too." Trader boasted non to subtelly. "It was my stepmothers family trade you know, old Kalmish clan and all. There was some concern about who would inherit the work, I was the eldest, but my sister Jemnezmy was my stepmother's blood. However Kunsel's mother was determined to visit Bone Village when she won a trip there, for an article she submitted to a paper. After that she was hook, she became an investigative journalist for a living. Actually during her last trip, she went south when she reached the new continent, the same general way you and Kunsel are headed. She even wrote to me once about some ruins she had found, a temple that incorporated elements from several cultures, she thought the ancients must have constructed it. Well, in the meantime my step mother had gifted me the trade, hence the nickname."

"I'm not surprised." Zax told Trader. "You were a prodigy!"

"They're getting along." Kunsel commented from where ee leaned in the main door frame.

Swayer smiled knowingly from the front step. "Giving him the metalwork tour huh? Any excuse to brag." She said of her partner.

Kunsel part snorted, part laughed. "Her stuff is even better than I remember." Ee studied the artfully constructed fireguard that Zax had pointed out. "The phoenix motif is fitting." Ee observed. Ees aunt had really put her skills to use in making the place a home, for herself and for everyone who lived there, ee had noticed that the night before.

"Ah there you two are." Trader called to em and Swayer, on spotting them waiting by the door. "All ready to hit the road?"

"Yeah, thanks for having us." Kunsel took ees aunt in to a hug when she drew near. Swayer next to em gave Zax a tight squeeze.

From one of the couches in front of the fire, Chelsia waved at em, wishing Zax and Kunsel a safe trip. "Take care on the road both of you!" Several off her friends joined in waving, or echoed the sentiment.

Trader and Swayer walked them out to the buggy. Trader recalling. "Zax was telling me that there's a new station been set up in Midgar…"

Zax nodded to confirm her words.

"You'll have two show us around next time we visit the plate." Swayer proposed.

"Sure." Kunsel assented. "Any time."

Swayer held up a hand in order to stall them a moment longer, "Before you go." From inside her coat she drew two laurel wreaths, placing one about the crown of Zax head, and one atop ees own when ee stooped for her. "This may not be Kalm, but at least you can take som Kalmish festivity with you."

Zax glanced at em, a hardly suppressed grin tickeling his lips.

Then once they were belted in to the buggy, they were pulling away, waving their goodbyes.

They were just leaving Condor Town, when they simultaneously received mail.

* * *

[To: Zax][To: Kunsel][From: Director Tuesti][Subject: Important Warning][Mail: We have just learned that Veld and a number of his Exiles (including Emma), are pursuing you. They intend to strike once you leave Condor Town, and they may have an armor piercing weapon with them. Rufus ShinRa believes we can use this as an opportunity to help Emma get away from Veld, and potentially as a means of stopping Veld all together. However, you are under no obligation to assist in this operation. If you do not wish to draw out the Exiles, Yuffie and Elena are ready to escort you to the docs via helicopter, and WRO volunteers will be ready to usher you back to Midgar on your return trip. Please get back to me or Cissnei and Balto with your decision ASAP. - RT.]

"It could be the only chance we get at helping Elena's sister…" Kunsel mermered. "I want to help them, if we can." When ee looked up from ees PHS, there was a determined set to ees features. But there was also something unsure about the look ee wore when ee glanced out of the window.

"Hey, I get it…" Zax told em. Zax and ee both knew what it was to be betrayed. Kunsel had rarely had anyone to rely on to begin with, and those ee had trusted? They had tried to have em killed, or abandoned em to ShinRa. "…after all…" Zax went on. "…we both know what it's like to be left in the lurch. You know how things went with my pops the last time I saw him, then there was that whole deal with sephiroth. And I haven't forgotten about that first mission Fuhito sent you on, plus last night what you told me about cliff. You don't need to convince me, if we can help Emma or any of the other Exiles, I'm right with you."

"It's going to be dangerous." Kunsel emphasised, though ee seemed to know that Zax knew this already. "They'll be probably be with Veld's more trusted Exiles."

"Well, that's what the buster is for."

The plan agreed upon, Kunsel suggested that Zax mail Cissnei and Belto, to let them know what was happening. "Tell them we might be late in getting to Gongaga." Ee jested.

Zax did just that. Kunsel pulled back out onto the highway that lead to the docs.

[To: Tian][To: Balto][From: Zax][Subject: Our decision][Mail: I'm sure the WRO and ShinRa have already contacted you two about it. But in case not, Veld and some Exiles are on our trail. Emma is one of them. We're decided to take part in the mission to help Emma get free, and will be traveling the old fashioned way by buggy, hoping to lure Veld out. Please let Reeve know about or decision. Also in case Veld targets Gongaga, take care of yourself/each other, and look out for my folks for me? PS we might be late to dinner.]

Soon Zax had a reply from Tian codename 'Cissnei', speaking on behalf of Balto as well as herself.

[From: Tian][To: Zax][Re: Our decision reply][Mail: Yes we had heard as much from Reno and Rude, was about to mail you on the topic myself. Balto, Kamea and I are with your folks for the night, no worries there. You and Kunsel be safe ok? Watch each others back. See you both soon.]

Zax read this response to Kunsel out loud while Kunsel drove.

* * *

Elena was distracted readying the helicopter for flight, so that they could be ready to extract Emma when the time hopefully came. But Yuffie who was looking out the window at the falling snow, saw the woman coming across the rooftop. She was tall with grey-blond hair, and there was something familiar about her. But she was striding directly over towards them, Yuffie didn't have the luxury to dwell on were she had seen this person before.

"Wow wow, hold it lady!" Yuffie attempted to dissuade the woman. Calling Elena's attention to the predicament also.

Unperturbed, the woman opened the door to the back passenger compartment, and stepped in.

"Did we just get boarded by an old lady?" Yuffie squaked.

Elena was shaking her head, mystafied and alarmed all at once.

The COMM crackled to life, just as Yuffie had readied her shuriken in preparation to go back there and confront the stranger.

The woman addressed them calmly. "Sorry girls, but I've decided I'm coming along for the ride."

"Who are you?" Elena asked in to her COMM.

"Oh, you don't know me?" Came the return question. "Well I suppose my photos are a tad out of date. But maybe you'll recognize my name, you can call me Jemnezmy Raven."

Elena stratened up at this.

"What is it, who is Jemnezmy?" Yuffie demanded, but then it hit her. "We ran in to you at the temple of the Ancients! I remember, you were a real pain in the butt charming the guys silly like that." She grumbled.

"Now don't hold it against me, that was before I saw Avalanche on TV and realized who you lot were. I thought you were treasure hunters."

"Well…" Yuffie started guilty. Elena chimed in, saving her from an awkward confession.

"You were also on the Turks hit list, for exposing ShinRa company seacrets." Elena recalled, the news surprising Yuffie.

"Sure enough." Jemnezmy confirmed. "But now I need to get out there with you, my family could be in worse trouble than you know, the planet might even be in danger."

"What, the whole planet!?" Yuffie exclaimed, to shocked by Jemnezmy's latter claim to ask about the former.

"Extinction level threat or not, we have to get going." Ellena told Yuffie. "It's your call." She defiered.

"You're right, ok ok let's get in the air. We can talk as we fly. But no funny business grandma."

That elected a laugh from their resident hijacker.

* * *

Rather than utilizing Zax's control over oblivion in order to travel, they took the road in Kunsel's buggy. Heading for the port, where they had arranged to board a WRO ship, going to the south of the new continent.

During the drive they talked back and forth, but mostly they kept their eyes on the landscape, staying alert and watchful.

Kunsel examined every vehicle that passed them, traced every aircraft light in the dark churning sky. At last ee felt confident saying. "Don't look now, but we're being followed, it's probably the Exiles."

Zax remaned leaning against the front passenger window, but Kunsel saw his eyes turn to em in the rearview mirror. "The truck three behind us?"

"Yeah. Be ready, their passing the others on the road now." Sure enough, the truck three vehicles back had jumped in to the port bound lane, during a break in the traffic. And it was steadily pulling up alongside them.

"Down!" Kunsel shouted to ees friend. In unison, the both of them ducked.

In almost the same moment, the side of the buggy was being hammered ferociously with gun fire. Bullets blowing through the windows, and pelting the armored doors and frame.

From ees crouched position, Kunsel swung the stearingweel. The buggy followed, carrining in to the side of the truck, ees buggy's low carriage and armoring matching the trucks greater bulk.

"Looks like you got things covered here." Zax told em. "I'm gonna get some fresh air." With a lazy salut, Zax had grasped the window frame and performed a nimbell roundup, out of the shattered window onto the buggy's roof.

But just then, the buggy was rammed unexpectadly from behind, sending the buggy spinning.

"Planet! Zax you ok?" Kunsel called from the footwell. Once ees drive had come to a screeching off road halt, beside the highway.

The rearview mirror had been shot to pieces. But looking over ees shoulder, showed Kunsel that Zax had jumped to the Exiles second vehicle, the one that had rammed them. He had driven the buster clean through the bonnet on in to the road, bringing the vehicle to a rough stop.

But ee only had that glance of Zax, the truck was barreling towards em and ee need to get out of its path. So bailing from the buggy, Kunsel let the truck pass em to go careaning in to ees vehicles side. Next ee came up out of es dive roll roll, and tor the passenger door off the truck, the truck having been brought to a hult by the crash.

It was Emma who leapt out first, her signature handgun at the ready, but hesitant to use it. Instead it was Shotgun in the driver's seat, who Kunsel focused on as being the true threat. She had her weapon trained on em, the only thing keeping her from having pulled the trigger already was that Emma was in the path of the scatter.

"Move!" Shotgun shouted to her fallow Exile. But it was to late.

Tugging aside ees eyepatch, Kunsel had cast paralysis on her, using the materia chip faceted in the gem ring ee kept concealed there.

Shotgun slumped in her seat, her weapon tumbling free of her grasp.

However, in the time it had taken em to do this. Emma had maneuvered around em, and was holding her firearm to ees back. "You were ready for us?" She asked, voice low as if she did not wish to be heard.

Kunsel could hear the fight between Zax and the other Exiles taking place on the highway, but could not see what was happening, ees view being blocked by the truck. "Yes…" Ee answered her quickly, wanting to get through this, so ee could go to Zax's aid as soon as was possible. "…we came despite being tipped off, because we wanted to give any of the Exiles who wanted it, the means of escaping Veld and those who rally around him. You could come with us now. Join Cissnei, Katana, Felicia, your sister and the other Turks."

"It's to risky." She argued more with herself then with em.

"No it's not, we'll fight together. You can trust us to have your back, as long as you don't cross us first."

"I don't…Planet, ok ok ok ok." She was breathing hard, clearly frightened by the prospect of making an enemy of her fellow Exiles and former chief. But she removed her weapon from between ees shoulder blades, and motioned for em to follow after her, to the corner of the truck. Saying. "Maur, Nunchaku and Veld, where in the car that rammed you. We need to help Zax, he won't be able to hold them off on his own for long."

Casting a look about the trucks bumper, Kunsel startled. Ee had expected a fight, but not the one ee was looking at.

There was Nunchaku, taking cover agans one side of the car he had arrived in, while Veld crouched by the opposite side. Both of them had their guns trained on a writhing forme beyond the cars headlights, but weren't shooting for fear of hitting Maur, who was grappling with the many limbs of the form.

The second many limbed figure struggling with Maur, belonged to Zax, as unlike himself as he looked.

His hair had come out of its knot, the full length of it bristeling all about him. While one after another, strange skeletal winged arms burst from his back, to claw at Maur and anything else within reach.

"Oh my Gaia!" Emma breathed. "Wha…"

Cutting her off, Kunsel broke cover, determined to get to Zax. Fear for ees friend making em headless, even as Veld began to fire on em, forcing em to deflect bullets off ees sword while weaving cornering and diving to make emself a hard target to lead.


	5. Chapter 5

"Get away from him!" Kunsel shouted at Maur, who ignored ees demand as well as ees approach, in favor of continuing to suppress Zax as best he could.

Angleing ees sword when ee drew within range, Kunsel ran Maur through the shoulder. But just as ee kicked Maur back off the blade of ees weapon. One of Veld's poison equipped shots found it's mark, sinking in to the center of ees back, causing em to sink to one knee.

A harsh guttural roar, more terrible then ees own cry of pain, left Zax. Who extended one of his new winged arms, the knife like barbs adorning the extremities clutching at Kunsel gently. Before he could take a hold of em however, his transformation overcame him and he too sank to the ground trembling, all of his many limbs thrashing about him.

Without concern for the talons that sliced at the air. Kunsel held Zax close with one arm, while wrestling the buster free of his grip with the other, so that ee could place the sword between them and the hail of gunfire like a shield.

Looking over ees shoulder, Kunsel saw that Emma had engaged in a fire fight with Veld and Nunchaku at some point. But Shotgun recovered from the paralysis spell, was shooting at her from the cover of the truck now also.

Ee was clamoring desperately for some way out of the situation, where there wasn't one. They had become hopelessly outnumbered with Zax in the fit that had taken him, and Kunsel injured, only Emma's distraction had kept em from sustaining worse damage.

And then a new buggy pulled up.

Out of the buggy stepped an old but strongly built man, that Kunsel had never seen before. At first Kunsel was afraid the man was a recruit of Veld's. But from across the conflict, the new arrival spotted Kunsel in turn, he pointed to a position behind Kunsel.

On turning to see what it was the man had wanted em to see, Kunsel had just enough time to block the kick that the heavily bleeding Maur had aimed at ees temple. Whoever the unidentified man was, he had helped em.

The bullet wound in ees back protesting, Kunsel regardless jumped to ees feet. Maur made to strike anew, but Kunsel was faster dealing Maur a swift jab and a follow up cross, the latter of which sent the Exile sailing backwards despite his having blocked.

While Kunsel held Maur, joined by Nunchaku, at bay. The old man dived in to kick the gun clean out of Veld's hands, turning the first kick in to a second sidekick that threw Veld to the the ground. This had the added effect of Freeing Emma up to fight off Shotgun.

"You three, retreat with me!" The unnamed man called, addressing Kunsel, Zax, and Emma.

But Kunsel knew it was wishful to hope they could all escape. The man's buggy was unarmored, the tiers susceptible to bullets. They would be chased down and caught in combat, this time with no means of escape. Ee had to trust that this man had good intentions, and that Emma would protect Zax. "Emma, take Zax and get out of here. Veld will have gestions for me, I won't be killed. Besides, I was Soldier once I can hold out long enough for reinforcements!"

Collecting Veld's gun from the ground, so that the Exile's chief could not rearm himself. The stranger motioned for Emma to help him with Zax.

Together they dragged the now unconscious Zax out from behind the buster sword, over to the getaway buggy, were they maneuvered him in to the back with some difficulty due to his expansive wings. Emma joined him in the back, once he was secured.

"We have to get you all out of here!" The man called to Kunsel, even as he clambered into the driver's seat.

"Go!" Kunsel ordered. Tearing the buster free from the earth, ee swung at Veld with it. Veld blocked the weapon from reaching his chest with his prosthetic arm, but the blade tore through the prosthetic itself.

Having cleared some space between emself and ees attackers with that swing of the buster, ee used the remaining momentum to toss the weapon to the old man.

The stranger caught it. "Hang in there Kunsel, help will come!" he encouraged em by name. Then the buggy was away, heading for Edge.

In ees distraction, Kunsel took a waighty hit across the face from Maur. Ee staggered but managed to step in to a sidekick that cracked the Exile's ribs audibly. But ees comeback didn't last, Nunchaku struk em in the sternum with his signature weapon, at the same time Veld kicked ees pivot leg out from under em sending em to hands and knees.

"On your feet, hands by your head. Shotgun ordered.

Struggling to draw air, Kunsel painfully rosse. Having done all ee could to ensure ees best friend and Emma got away safely, ee lifted ees hands in surrender.

* * *

Zax's flickered between unconsciousness and consciousness. One moment he was waking to find himself struggling against a blond woman, Elena's sister Emma. While an old man who he recognized but could not place, spoke to him, trying to calm him.

But he could not be calm, they were taking him away and trying to get him to sit still in a buggy, leaving Kunsel behind to face Veld and his Exiles alone.

"NO!" Was all he could manage to articulate, but his strength expressed all his words did not, when too many limbs crashed through windows and talons clawed at the body of the vehicle.

In the next instant his head was spinning, and Zax crumpled into the back seat. Emma took the opportunity to more securely pin him. Next she asked of the man at the steering wheel. "Are you from the WRO? We need to contact someone and send Kunsel backup, fast!"

* * *

While nunchaku used a heal materia to tend to Maur's stab wound and broken ribs. Veld confiscated Kunsel's own sword.

Shotgun warningly pressed her weapon against Kunsel's back. "Should we kill em now?" She questioned her chief.

Veld stayed her. "No, this one in particular is vital to the plan."

Kunsel frowned, what did Veld mean by that.

"Besides, we'll utilize this catch as bait to draw out the others."

"What about the monster?" Maur asked.

"Zax's not a monster." Kunsel bit out acidly. Earning emself a jab with the end of a shotgun to the injury in ees back. Ee barely suppressed a hiss.

"Last I counted he had eight arm things, two of them were winged." Shotgun taunted.

"And apparently you're missing a heart." Kunsel told her. Earning emself a strike to the temple from her firearm, hard enough to knock em to the ground. "Don't feel obligated to prove my point or anything." Ee managed.

The second hit caused ees vision of Veld cooly observing, to be spekkeled with dark patches, soon after ee fell unconscious.

* * *

He felt feverish disorientated still too, but the fit had passed leaving him drawing labored breaths, his sweat dampened jumper cooling against his front and back.

Then his memory began to return to him, to quickly for him to keep up with. Shooting up off the back seat of a buggy that was not Kunsel's, Zax asked voice raw and desperate. "Where's Kunsel!?"

As soon as he had sat up, he was being forced to lie down once more. "Where is ee!?" He shouted again, fighting away the hands that were attempting to hold him. "Kunsel!"

Through the roof of the buggy knifed what looked like a set of great claws, tearing and shredding at the vehicle.

"You have to get a hold of that wing." Emma urged him. She was putting her weight on several more arms, all as strange as the one shredding the roof. The main two arms or rather wings, resemble those of evilheads or black bats. Except that they were covered with iridescent feathers, and each finger making up the wing was tipped with a knife like spine. The other six arms were insect like, bearing one spine each.

"What's going on…where's K?" Zax was now pleading, even as he traced the source of the alien limbs to his own back.

From the driver's seat a man in his sixties or seventies with a silvery ponytail, glanced back at him. "My name's Zangan. We've meet each other before, in Nibelheim. I'm here to help you Zax, and I want to help Kunsel too, but I need you calm for that."

Breath stuttering in and out between his lips Zax nodded, fighting every instinct to panic.

"Can I let go of you now?" Emma asked em gently.

"Yes. But where is ee, where's K? What's happening?" He begged her for some answer.

"You've just been through a lot. We're worried a shock could send you in to another fit." She sounded apologetic.

"I need to know, please tell me." He was demanding again, his voice taking on the qualities of a roar, fear for his friend and pain fulling his flash anger.

"The tide of the fight against Veld and his Exiles turned against us. Kunsel stayed to hold them off, so that we could get you out of danger." Emma admitted, clearly concerned that keeping the truth from him was just as likely to cause a recurrence of the fit.

"Veld has em? They'll kill em!" This time his voice broke into something truly inhuman. And the strange claws ripping through the roof, tor the top of the buggy half off, like it were the lid of a tin can.

"Try to settle down." Emma pleaded with Zax. "We won't have a buggy to get to safety in at the rate you're taking it apart."

"Listen to me Zax." Zangan's tone was reassuring, soothing even. "Right now we're on our way to meet Yuffie, Elena and my partner. Emma here has agreed to help us fight the Exiles and free the dissenters among them, she'll go with Yuffie and her sister to the Seventh Heaven bar, were they'll help Avalanche who have come under attack at the Seventh Heaven. My partner and I will track Veld in order to rescue Kunsel. I wouldn't have agreed to leave em to be captured, if I thought they would kill em right away, ees to valuable as a lure and as a source of information. We have a plan, we'll get Kunsel back."

Zax was about to protest that the plan wasn't good enough, feeling they should turn around now, and go back. But Zangan had taken up his COMM and was talking with someone on the other end.

"Not far from the rondevu now? Good, We'll see you then… Yes ees friend has come around. Ok ok, take care." With this he ended the conversation. Explaining. "That was my partner, She's ten minutes from the agreed upon meeting point, she's ahead of us."

"It's my fault things went so badly wrong, planet if I had just done as Shelke suggested and undergo a medical examination, Kunsel wouldn't…It's because of this fit that Kunsel was put in the position to be captured." He wouldn't let Veld have Kunsel, he would absolutely not allow his best friend to die. Resolve stealing, wisps of oblivion already stirring about the vehicle. Zax asked Zangan. "Where are you meeting Your partner, Yuffie and Elena? I can get us there faster then this buggy can."

* * *

"Come with me." Cloud motioned for Genesis to follow him to The Shera's bay 9.

When they arrived, the bay doors had just finished opening, Shera Highwind's prerecorded voice spoke to them saying. "Hatch open. Prepare for drop." And Cid's voice emanating from the COMM added. "What She said!"

Together Cloud and his companion secured their feet in two of the skyboards, pre positioned at the top of the tracks that ran down the drop ramp. Then they slid down into open air, genesis doing a loopty loop and shooting Cloud a wink, before they came to hover just above the front step outside Healen's master cabin.

Tseng was there to get the door for them, without preamble he ushered them inside, were Rufus was waiting to meet with them. On the couch sat a man they called 'Legend' for his prowess during his career as a Turk. He had become an Exile along with the majority of ShinRa's Department of Administrative Research, at the conclusion of the battle with Zirconiade.

"What's the situation?" Cloud asked right away. Eyeing Legend cautiously.

"Don't mind me." Legend excused himself. "Veld gave me the assignment of staking out Healen. I flip, I'm working under Tseng again."

Once Legend had explained his presence. Rufus commanded the attention of the room. "It's good and bad. As anticipated Avalanche has come under attack by Exiles at the Seventh Heaven in Edge according to the call for reinforcements put through to Yuffie by Tifa. But don't worry just yet, they're keeping the exiles busy for now. Plus as soon as Elena and Yuffie pick up Emma, who has been freed, They will fly in to help those in Edge. The real concern is that Kunsel was taken prisoner by Veld, in the course of helping Emma escape. However we may still be able to turn things to our advantage."

"Ifrit's flames." Cloud growled. "Is Zax ok? He's probably going out of his mind."

"Emma tells me that Zax escaped with her and a man named Zangan…"

"Zangen!" Cloud burst in. "If he's the same Zangan I'm thinking of then he's trustworthy, he was Tifa's childhood martial arts instructor."

"That's a relief then, he was an unknown factor until now." Rufus then returned to the plan of action. "If we can get Kunsel away from Veld, or make a trade for ees safe return…" He removed the lap blanket from the object he had resting on his knees, to reveal the safe that contained Kilmister's work. "…using this to bargain. Then we can take out Veld." Opening the safes door he removed a few of the hard drives contained within, revealing to them one of Rudes explosives hidden behind them. Rufus continued. "It's powerful enough to turn the safe and it's contents in to shrapnell, with a kill zone of fifty yards, and of course it can be detonated remotely."

"I suppose it's our job to deliver the thing." Genesis guessed. Turning to Cloud he asked. "What do you say, Strife and Rhapsodos delivery service up to the job?"

Cloud nodded, accepting the deadly package from Rufus. "Now we just have to know were to deliver this.." Kunsel and Zax were depending on them, though his heart grew heavy at the thought of relating the plan to Felicia.


	6. Chapter 6

Tifa shielded her head and neck, when Juget stepped in to a sidekick, that sent her sailing from the street through one of the 7th Heavens ground floor windows on to the tables and seating to land in a tangle.

Behind the bar Barrett was engaged in a fire fight with Ruluf, an Exile who utilized two hand guns, keeping him from progressing up the stairs. Aeris meanwhile was holding her ground against Alvis, meeting him blow for blow, electro mag rod striking fairy tale staff with bone jarring force.

"You ok dear?" Aeris called in the space between clashes.

"Yeah. We just have to hold out until Yuffie arrives with reinforcements!" She had a few cuts from going through the glass of the window, and she was sore from the awkward fall. But nothing that would keep her from the fight, and it was just as well. No sooner had Tifa got back to her feet, Juget was kicking down the door to charge at her.

Tifa braced herself for the impact, knowing her hastily ganed stance was full of openings.

But Tifa's asalenent had to dive to the side shapely to take cover behind an upturned table, when Aeris launched an offensive spell at her.

"You're a lifesaver!" Tifa thanked her.

* * *

"This is the agreed upon rendezvous point." Emma told them. She was openly startled after having experienced oblivion, Zax's acquired ability to move people and object through space. "But couldn't you use this power to rescue Kunsel?" She next asked Zax.

Zax shifted impatiently. "I will, but you need to go with Elena and Yuffie, and we've got to pick up Zangan's partner. We'll probably only get one shot at a rescue, we have to be smart and make it count. I've got to be sure that Veld won't be a danger to em if I try to go in there to get em out."

"Hostage situations, always tricky." Emma admitted.

"I won't take any avoidable risks were my best friend's life is on the line. And even if those weren't concerns, I've still got to try and translate the coordinates for the Caves that Elena passed on to us, in to a star compass so I know where exactly to take us in the Midgar valley."

"I know you want to get em back as soon as is possible, but it's best to be smart about it as you said, and we're going to need all the backup we can get." Zangan part assured part fretted. Having said this, he Pulled the buggy to a halt and stepping out of the driver's seat in to the open, next he started off a flare.

Zax along with Gun also stepped out of the buggy, to see if they could spot Yuffie and Elena, who had agreed to meet them were the roads diverged to Midgar, Edge and Kalm.

Zax had done what he could to arrange his hair and wings, plus the open air did something to eyas the tension in ees mussels. But the tension in ees core would not be dissuaded, not until he knew Kunsel was safe.

Soon they saw the lights in the sky, signalling the approach of a helicopter. At this Zangan took out his COMM to contact those aboard. "Rose, Irina?" He asked after them by the code name they had shared with him.

"We hear you gramps!" Came Yuffie's voice in return. "We're coming in to land."

The blades of their helicopter stirred up dust, causing their hair and clothing to whip about. Elena was first off the aircraft, rushing to her sister who met her half way in an embrace. They stepped apart once more, resuming a veneer of professionalism they filled each other in on everything that had happened since Veld had left the WRO boardroom, and taken his Exiles with him.

"...So then it was you and Yuffie who must have discovered the plan to capture Kunsel and Zax on their way to Gongaga?" Emma asked of her younger sister.

"Yes, that was Yuffie."

"Thank Gaia. It's good to be out of there, but there are more of us who Veld still has trapped..."

"About the others, we think they are engaged in the fight at the Seventh Heaven in edge. If you'll help, we might be able to convince them to flip."

"Then I'm in."

Yuffie, and a tall older woman in her mid or late sixties, with silvery blue eyes and wearing mythril earrings. Both stepped down from the helicopter after Elena, they made their way over to Zangan and Zax.

The tall woman, Zangan's partner, bent to kiss Zangen's brow. Clearly glad to see him unharmed.

"Yeeesh, what happened to you..." Yuffie addressed Zax. "...wake up on the wrong side of the bed? Cloud and Aeris never mentioned how bad your pillowhead is when they talked about you." She finished with a touch of misdirection. "Hey haven't we meet though?" She next questioned.

Her understatement regarding his appearance, as well as her recognition of him despite the changes was something of a comfort. So he answered despite his somber mood, by dropping to one knee and declaring comically "Ahhh you got me!...remember?" He stood again.

"You! No way, you were second class back then, wow you must have been like what sixteen? Now you're all..." She mimed flapping wings with her hands. "So is there a story behind that or..?"

"I guess I should have gotten this body checked out before I picked a fight, the details aren't important." Zax told her leaning against the buggy, but having to shuffle his wings and arms out of the way in order to do so comfortably.

"We're in a hurry." Zangan cut in.

"Oh no problem, don't let us keep you, 'sides we've gotta go rescue the rest of Avalanche. Speaking of rescue, Cloud's at Healen Lodge or was it called Cliff Resort in your time? Anyway, he's working on a plan to stop Veld. So if you're looking to help that Kunsel person, you should join forces, just a suggestion." She told Zax while walking backwards. "Thanks for bringing Elena's sister halfway." With that she waved and turned to head for the helicopter, Elena and Emma joining her.

Zax, Zangen and his partner wasted no time piling in to the buggy.

The woman was about to step in to the front passenger seat, but stopped and hefted the buster sword out. "This is yours I assume." She handed the weapon to Zax. "A gift from Kunsel?"

"Yes, modeled on my mentors sword ultima weapon." Zax relayed, while he sank into the back seat. He hadn't spotted it in front, and had assumed it was left behind. Because of the damage to the buggy's roof, he was able to angle it blade upwards, so as to press his brow to the cool steel a core of mythril hidden beneath.

It had been autumn, just before December month when Kunsel gave him the buster in memory of Angeal. Their friends Essai and Sebastian had been killed in action in january of the following year 0002. Zax had to stop anything like that from happening to Kunsel.

The memory of that winter brought with it fond recollection too. Visiting the 20th annual tree lighting held in western park with Kunsel. They had strolled through the brisk night beneath string lights, clad in warm coats hats and scarves, with a thermos of hot carob to share. Kunsel's prominent pointy nose had gone pink with cold, and Zax had wanted to touch his own nose to the end of it, but he hadn't been quite brave enough. Instead he had listened to Kunsel describe a shooting star as extraterrestrial rock and or metal, burning and creating a path of light in the sky as it moved through the atmosphere at around 45,000 miles per hour, a process ee called aerodynamic heating. Zax had wondered why ee knew so much on the topic. Kunsel explained that Mythril, a metal only found in Kalm, had been delivered to the planet from outer space the same way.

He had almost forgotten that night, so much had happened afterwards. Their friend Chelsea had been discovered missing the following morning. And when Kunsel had returned from Cliff's workshop after visiting her father, ee had warned Zax about Fuhito's Raven Soldiers. Ee had said a friend had called em on the workshop landline, and warned that AVALANCHE operatives in black uniforms might be dangerous. Zax had learned afterward that Fuhito had used blood taken from Kunsel before ee went undercover, as the base for his super soldiers. And that the friend who had warned Kunsel was in fact Fang, the same that resided at Station 8 Midgar.

"You're Zax?" The yet unnamed woman in the front passengers seat brought Zax out of his reverie.

"Yeah." Zax answered her. "I don't always look this way." He tried for his usual friendliness.

She nodded even smiled, and reached back to shake his hand without apparent fear. "I'm Jemnezmy." She told him.

Zax was startled to discover two things about Jemnezmy. One, the tips of her fingers were adorned with talons rather than regular nails. The second discovery, was that she was Kunsel's mother if she was the same Jemnezmy that ee and ees aunt sometimes spoke of.

She had ees eyes, nose, and freckles. But not ees black-red hair coloration, Zax supposed then, that Kunsel had inherited the color of ees hair from ees father.

"So Kunsel has mentioned me huh?" She must have deduced this much from the look on Zax's face.

"Then you two are…"

"Kunsel's parents." Zangan Confirmed, while he got the buggy back on the road.

Zax's returned his gaze to Jemnezmy's talons, as their handshake was concluded.

Despite that he had tried to hide it, she saw him looking, but she did not comment on it.

Zax in turn hastened to return to the matter of Kunsel's rescue. "I'll take us to Healen." With that he summon up oblivion.

* * *

Reno looked up, and got Rude's attention. When Felicia came striding into the station 0 lobby, having been admitted by the WRO guard. With her she carried her sword, sleeping in its scabbard by her side.

"Fang was on the COMM to say you would be arriving. She tells us that you're set on being involved in in the rescue effort." Argento greated her, without any kind of sugar coating. As she descended the stairs from the mezzanine.

"I need to leave Midgar without Veld finding out about it, through his Exile steakout. I came to ask for your help in doing so."

Argento questioned. "What are your intentions?" Coming to stand at the base of the stairs, her hands resting easily one atop the other on the hilt of her sword, which she balanced on its end before her.

"Cloud Strife, one of Avalanches leaders contacted me from Healen lodge. He tells me that the WRO's head of intelligence has received no word from the second Crescent Unit about Veld returning to any of his basses in Edge, Kalm, Junon or other citys and towns."

Argento bowed her head. She had been with Wutai's first Crescent, Unit until she had been conscripted in to Deepground. Reno thought she must be recalling that time at the mention of the second.

Uninterrupted Felicia finished. "Rufus ShinRa therefore believes that Veld has taken Kunsel to a cave system in the Midgar valley, were Kilmister once operated a makeshift laboratory. I volunteered to go ahead to this cave to prevent Veld's retreat, if he is there as we suspect."

At this Reno and Rude both stood from the communications station in front of a myriad of monitors. Reno contributed by adding. "What the boss is saying has a good chance of being the case, I tracked Kilmister to the caves once, and I can give you the location Felicia." Then addressing Argento. "If you're willing to give this mission the go ahead, Rude and I can distract Veld's Exile watcher, so Felicia can take one of the hoverbikes out of Midgar unseen."

Beside him Rude noded, grinding one gloved hand in to the palm of the other in readiness.

"You're confident you two could confront the Exile and force them to give convincing false reports to Veld?"

"Not a problem." Rude assured.

"Good." Argento permitted. "Then you two will be in charge of covering Felicia's departure from Midgar."

Taking out his PHS, Reno mailed the caves coordinates to Felicia. Then with a lazy salute, Reno lead Rude out the doors through which Felicia had arrived. They took with them bullet proof vests which they wore beneath their suit jackets. Reno also had his EMR with him, Rude a COMM in addition to their handsets, as well as one of Director Reeve's online monitors. The online monitor to help them locate lifesigns, that could be an Exile spying on Midgar's plate, from the valley surrounding Midgar.

Leaving the plate, the two Turks took an alternate route down to the slums. Instead of the spiralling road that any Exile was sure to have their eye on, they climbing down the wire that AVALANCHE had years ago ascended in order to infiltrate ShinRa tower.

"Well, this is ironic." Reno pointed out. While passing some pro AVALANCHE graffiti, scrawled on a wall accessible to only the most determined artist.

"I'm not complaining, are you?" Rude asked, grunting while traversing some difficult part of the climb.

"Nope. I'd say the new job's great...but it's not really a job is it?"

Rude grunted his concurrence.

In the same way that the turks had never been coworkers but rather family, what they had now wasn't a job. Instead they and Rufus had gained a life in place of employment or a business.

"Let's just make sure that everything's in place to help those that want to break away from Veld." Rude put in.

"Roger that." Veld's leadership and influence had never been a comfortable fit for Reno. Their ex chief had been an impressive figure, and they had accomplished some great things under him true. But when he looked back on the history of the Turks and his part in that history? All of his most profound regrets and darkest moments were carried out at Veld's order, or for his benefit. Reno put that line of thought out of his head before it could interfere with the operation at hand.

Perillus and blustery as it was, they made it to solid ground behind the remains of what was once Don Corneo's mansion, where station six had been constructed in it's remaining wing.

Waiting outside station six for them, was Bridget who told them. "We've been keeping an eye on the perimeter wall, Veld has one of the Exiles watching gate six."

"We'll head on over then, see what we can find." Reno told her.

Kicking some rubbel aside Reno lead the way on, he wanted to be away from the site of the fire. Having shared a neighborhood with the Don of ShinRa's underworld growing up, Reno had nearly become one of the man's victims before seeking sanctuary with the Turks. Anything related to the man irritated him.

Keeping low once they had left the cover of station six, Reno and Rude circled around to the gate Bridget had mentioned.

"Bingo." Rude angled the online monitor so that Reno could see the lifesign that the device was indicating just beyond the gate.


	7. Chapter 7

Drawing closer, Reno and Rude were able to see through the glass portion of the wall that surrounded the slums. That it was Knife who had been charged with spying on the plate. She was one one of the Exiles that they had agreed was likely to flip sides given the chance, but they had to be careful still in case they were wrong, and she gave some alarm.

Rude asked of Reno. "What's our next step?" In Midgar Sign Language. But just as Reno began to gesticulate a response.

"I know you're there…" Knife's voice broke in on the quiet of the early morning. "Let me guess, Reno and Rude?"

"Guilty" Reno stepped out from behind the gate so that only the transparent perimeter wall stood between them. His hands held up in surrender, Rude in tow.

Knife wagged her own online monitor at them. "You're just lucky it's only me posted here at the moment." She told them.

"We were hoping you would side with us." Reno admitted.

"Then you're in luck. But listen, Maur just contacted me over the COMM. He tells me he's dropped Veld and Kunsel off at those caves, were the scientist Kilmister kept Rufus prisoner at the beginning of the geostigma epidemic. Veld is well armed, he expects to be tracked down eventually. If anyone's going to go out there to rescue Kunsel, they need to know that there are hundreds of land mines surrounding the caves."

Reno glanced meaningfully at Rude, Rude in turn brought out his PHS and quick dialed Felicia to warn her about the landmines that Knife had mentioned.

Knife listened to Rude talk a moment, then she asked Reno "The chief's own daughter is going out there to confront him?"

"Yeah." Reno confirmed. If was Felicia's request to be the one to go out to the caves, and keep Veld cornered until Cloud and Genesis could deliver the safe containing the bomb. "Kunsel ees real important to her, long time friends and all."

Knife considered the arrangement a moment then nodded slowly. "So that's why you two are here, to make sure Veld doesn't get word she's on her way?"

"That, and we missed you of course." Reno added light heartedly.

"Of course. But Maur's been ordered to join me at this post, he'll be here any moment. And if I give iffy reports to the Chie…errr Veld, he's going to pick up on it right away."

"And if Veld gets no reports from this position, he'll know something's up. Witch means we have to capture Maur, so that you can continue to hold this post like nothing happened."

"The question is, do you and Rude trust me?"

Reno shrugged haplessly. "Sure. You have a good head on your shoulders, you always wanted to do what was right as far as circumstances would allow. I don't think that's changed." It was a risk, there was always the possibility that she had been ordered to infiltrate, gain their trust to better report to Veld on his enemies. But as he had expressed, Reno didn't think that was the case. Rude's nodding indicated that he also felt the simple truth was that she would corner with them.

"Ok, that's good enough for me." She said. Then they picked up on an approaching lifesignal on the online monitors, and knife warned. "That's probably Maur on his way in a buggy, the lifesignal's moving to directly for it to be a wild chocobo. You two better hide, be ready to provide backup."

Retreating out of sight behind the gate once more, Reno and Rude stood poised ready.

Soon the sound of a buggys tiers over dirt and gravel could be heard, the vehicle approaching from off road.

First came the sound of the buggy door opening and closing, following this Knife and Maur started up talking.

"What took you?" Knife asked him.

"Things went sideways for a bit there. One of them, the first class Soldier went full monster, I can see why Veld's been so adamant about this. Poor Frayra was hit with a paralysis spell, and I needed a heal spell for broken ribs as well as a stab wound. But we pulled through."

Reno glanced at Rude.

From behind his shades Rude returned the look.

Reno though he had told Kunsel and Zax before they had left to visit their folks, not to get into any trouble. Now he was hearing that not only had Kunsel been captured, but something had happened to Zax too.

"Monster, how so? Did he what, physically channel a summon or a weapon or something, like that Fuhito guy tried to do with Zirconiade?" Knife questioned.

"Nah. it was some Jenova weirdness, wings and bug features that kind of stuff. I'll be having nightmares is all I'm going to say."

"We'll then, sleep tight!" With this last from Knife, the next Reno and Rude heard was a shout of alarm from from Maur.

"Knife wh..!" But Maur didn't have time to finish what he was saying.

Reno and Rude had jumped the perimeter wall, when they saw their target forced back by a volley of throwing knives.

"I took out his COMM!" Knife told them. Sure enough, three of her signature throwing weapons were lodged in the ruined device.

Rude charged past her to engage Maur in hand to hand combat, before Maur could get away in his buggy. Leaning to the side avoiding a straight from Maur, Rude countered with an uppercut that dazed Maur. Just long enough for Reno to dart in quick as lightning, to knock Maur out with a sound strike from his EMR.

"Don't mess with the turks yo." Reno told the unconscious Exile, with no small amount of wryness.

* * *

Felicia had just made the hoverbike ready for her trip into the valley. When her PHS cherped a second time.

Taking it up she answered the call. "Reno. Am I clear to leave the plate?"

"All clear. We were able to help Knife escape, and she helped us capture Maur. Just remember to watch out for those landmines ok?"

Felicia, traveling across the plate on her hoverbike, thanked them. "I appreciate you three doing this. And thank you for bringing me up to date. I'm going to do everything I can to help Kunsel."

"Alright."

Ending the call Felicia turned her attention to the edge of the plate, were sector 6 had been partially torn away when Zirconiade had been summoned from her. She maneuvered her vehicle past the drop and beneath the plate.

Passing above Reno, Rude and Knife, she lifted her hand to them before her hoverbike carried her over the slums perimeter wall. She still bore the scar were Hojo had implanted the Zirconiade materia in the back of her hand, a human experiment that her father had helped to cover up. She had not survived that ordeal, just to have her papa murder Kunsel. She promised herself that much, while racing through Midgar valley.

* * *

When Kunsel woke, groggy and ill. Ees view showed only the inside of a cloth bag that had been placed over ees head, something had been tied over ees mouth on the outside of the bag. And when ee attempted to move, ee found ee had been tied to a chair, using something sharp that cut in to ees arms legs and middle. It was cold wherever ee was, ee could hear thunder rumbling distantly, the sound echoing in the space that Veld deemed to keep em.

"You're awake, good." The voice belonged to Veld himself.

Kunsel could hear the mans footfalls, as he circled around from in front of em, to stand behind the chair to which ee had been bound. "My people can be a bit faint of heart, so instead I sent Nunchaku and Shotgun to Gongaga to bring me the traitors Cissnei and Katana, as well as that Emma wherever she's got to. The rest are keeping an eye on your friends in Midgar and Edge." Veld informed em, resting his hand on Kunsel's shoulder. "It's just you and me for the time being, there's no one here to question my methods." For an instant Veld tugged at the the cloth covering ees mouth, and at last it feel loosely about ees neck. "So are you going to make this easy on yourself, or will I be forced to make you cooperate?"

Kunsel cleared ees throat. "I can hold a conversation if you're really keen on hearing about the various ways of refining metal, I can talk all day. But if you're calling me a snitch then tough luck." Even if Kunsel knew were Zax had been taken, ee would never tell Veld.

For ees cheek ee was struck across the face, hard enough that the force of the blow upended ees chair. Ee was still coughing through the blood filling ees mouth and gushing from ees nose when Veld had again righted the chair.

"You turned my operative against me, you turned my daughter against me. You facilitated that monster's return from the lifestream. And you put Kilmister's research in the hands of Rufus ShinRa and the WRO, who harbor Genesis Rhapsodos, as well as two deepground tsviets. For now you're more useful to me alive it's true, but you'll beg me for death soon enough."

"Hades have you! I won't betray Zax. And Felicia? I didn't turn her against you." Kunsel spat. "You did that yourself, your abuse towards her and others turned her against you, and I don't blame her one little bit. If you think you and your cult task force can go around threatening people who pose no special danger, without meeting resistance, then you're kidding yourself. When Zax comes for me, you'll be lucky if he lets you beg even, he's not cruel like you."

"You're confident in him. Good, if he comes thinking to save you, I'll consider it two birds one stone. But you assume much, Zax isn't my main target, that would be you."

"What?" Kunsel voiced, legitimately taken aback.

"You're smart aren't you, good at hunting the pieces out, spotting patterns. Tell me, why do you think Fuhito used you as the base for his Raven super soldiers? And why did the Shinra company Soldier program not expel you? Besides your being a spy, you do know they have to have discovered that you are trans at some stage. Why did Hojo deam you and the other Kalm bombing survivors, as worthy candidates to undergo the process of materia implantation?"

Kunsel shook ees head baffled, what was Veld talking about? Ee had been sure that the ShinRa company had already spent to much on ees training and augmentation, that Fuhito had been opertunitic in using blood from one of Hojo's failed experiments, that Hojo too had been opertunitic when he had taken Kalm survivors in as subjects. But here was Veld, a man who had intimate knowledge of company secrets, tellingem there was more to it.

"Haven't figured it out? I'll tell you. Like my daughter you're half kalmish, I believe it was your biological grandmother who was from the old Raven clan. But did you know that the Kalmish clans, as well as the people who made up the inhabitants of the original districts where Midgar now stands. Had DNA organized in such a way that it marked them as a third genus, unlike the humans we know today, or those of the ancient Cetra cultures?"

"What does it matter?" Kunsel couldn't fathom. It wasn't like ee could speak with the planet as a Cetra could have done.

Veld went on. "This class of people had great magical and technological capabilities, apparently they were the ones to call mythril to the planet, that's what the WRO's archaeological investigation indicates. You might know that Sephiroth's birth mother, Lucrecia Crescent was Kalmish? That's why Hojo took interest in her. And that's why Sephiroth the last of the Crescent clan, Lucrecia's abomination, could channell the magic required to use the black materia."

It was a cold wintery morning, Kunsel could discern that much by the light that made it through the weave of the bag over ees head. But this declaration from Veld made em number than exposure.

"That's why I need you. You and Felicia are likly the last of your kind, with magical reserves strong enough for the task I have in mind. And I don't mind coercing you if I must."

"You…have the black materia?" Kunsel had to keep ees voice from rasping.

"My Exiles found it in the collapse of the northern crater."

"This can't be real. Meteor Isn't…oh my gaia, it can't be used without destroying the planet, you have to know that!"

"Fuhito's research indicates that unlike Zirconiade, meteor can in fact be directed, controlled by intent. The only reason he did not utilize Meteor himself, was because he already had Zirconiade in his possession, and because the black materia could not be found transfigured like it was in to a temple itself well hidden." Having said this. Veld lifted the bag from Kunsel's head, and forcing ees eyelids open, he plucked out the gem ring, despite Kunsel's turning this way and that.

Casting aside the ring, Veld next drew a case from his jackets inner pocket, were it was kept next to a handgun. At last, from the case came the darkest materia that Kunsel had ever seen, it's smooth metallic surface picking up on the blues and purple in the light.

"No!" Kunsel protested. Adrenalin kniffing through em, ee hardly felt the razor wire keeping em in ees chair, as ee struggled away from the materias almost magnetic pull and Veld's hold.

But with some considerable effort Veld had got em in a headlook, and he was able to fit the materia in to Kunsel's eye socket, leaving Kunsel shaken and feeling sick for a whole new reason.

Ee blinked hard against the tears that threatened, summoned up by the rough treatment the area had experienced and shock both. "Nothing Fuhito left behind is worth legitimizing, this is like playing roulette with the planet at stake." Kunsel about pleaded in a raw whisper. If Veld was right about em having some kind of inherited ability to call on meteor, then the planet and ee were in a worse position than ee had imagined. After all Magic wasn't always vulanterry, it could be forced from em, no matter how ee resisted. If Veld succeeded in provoking strong enough mind waves in em, ees greater than average MP would have a good chance of calling down meteor. Except this time Aeris, Zax and anyone else who had helped them, would not be within the lifestream and able to fend off Meteor. Holy was permanently combined with Aeris, removed from the planet. And even Omega the last line of defence was gone. The ultimate destruction magic could not be stopped a second time.

But what if Fuhito had been right about intent, could Meteor magic be focused on specific targets, like the limits meteor shot or meteor rain? Was there a chance it could be utilized without the destruction of the planet? Kunsel knew that if ee could not hold out against Veld's torture, causing a shock to set off the black materia and Meteor, then ee would have no other choice but to call it down on Veld and emself. Veld was counting on Kunsel's survival instinct to avoid this, staying close for that reason, but he had underestimated Kunsel. Still Kunsel had to trust Zax could make it in time, before that extreme became a necessity.


	8. Chapter 8

"Wowah!" Genesis jumped away, tugging Cloud back with him. When out of nowhere smoke like oblivion whirled before them, on their way out of The Shera's bay 9, to let Cid know they were back on the airship.

"Welcome aboard." Genesis greeted Zax at length. When Zax, and an older couple emerged from the void. Zax beating two massiv wings that joined to his back at either side of his buster sword, doing so as if to shake free the last wisps of oblivion drifting about him.

"Zax, how are you here, what happened to you!?" Cloud bolted forward to take his good friend by the shoulders, so that he could study his face and the new limbs protruding from his back.

"Oblivion, one of Nero's powers." Zax told him the short version. "But right now it's not important. Yuffie tells us you have a plan to rescue Kunsel, and stop Veld?"

"Right here." Genesis presented the safe.

"There's an explosive hidden inside, disguised like this we can smuggle it to Veld." Cloud explained.

"A trade, Kunsel for Kilmister's safe." Zax realized.

"But will it work?" The tall blond-grey woman that had arrived with Zax, asked them. She looked visibly anxious. "Kunsel is… a valuable capture."

"It will at least give us a means of getting close." Zax decided. Then casting his eyes about at his surroundings he wondered. "Is this somewhere in The Shera?"

A new voice, that of Cid Highwind, Cut in over the shipwide COMM. "What's taking you? Cloud, Genesis you onboard yet?"

Cloud drew out his COMM to give a reply. "We're here. Zax and...some of his friends are with us also."

"Cloud, let me speak to him." Zax stepped forward and held out his hand for the COMM. "You show us the way to the bridge."

"OK." While Cloud and himself showed Zax and his companions to the Bridge. Zax spoke with Cid.

"Captain Highwind? This is Zax Fair. You're taking Cloud and Genesis to the cave system in Midgar valley?"

"I sure as heck am." Cid answered Zax. "We gotta put a stop to that melboro smelling S O B!" With his passengers aboard, and this declaration made. The Shera began to move up and away from Healen Lodge.

"If you can show me exactly were the caves are, I can get us there faster." Zax finished.

"What, how's that?..."

Cloud, Genesis and their three new guests arrived on the bridge.

Spotting them below the helm, Cid finished what he had been going to say. "The Shera is the fastest airship of her size, faster than any light crafts too. So what do you mean faster?"

"Not faster exactly, but more directly therefore taking less time." Genesis told the captain. "Fair can fold space and transport the airship through oblivion." Genesis knew that much, having meet Nero before. Latter he took care of Nero's vacant body, which had become Zax Fair's copie and current body now that he had returned to the surface from the lifestream.

"Isn't that the same power that that tesviet used to mess up my engine room, during the attack on Deepground?" The captain asked, apprehension in his voice.

"I remember seeing the damage after the fact." Cloud recalled.

"I can move us without damaging the ship." Zax promise confidently.

His attention drawn to Zax, Highwind blinked with shock on seeing his wings and other extra limbs.

"Don't look so surprised Captain." Genesis close to chided the man. With a flourish his own wing burst free of his shoulder, scattering black feathers across the deck. "He's part of the club, that's all."

Cid frowned and lifted his braws, convinced. Then gestured to a half sphere in front of the helm in the center of the bridges deck. "That's our observatory and navigational holographic projector, take a look." Over his COMM he next requested of the crew. "We need a holographic map of our destination on deck."

The holographic projector was showing the globe on its surface, threads of information and dotted flight routes encircling it. When Genesis and the others drew near however, the entire bridge was flooded by an environmental map, so that it looked like they were standing in the valley itself.

"This is the Midgar valley, near the coast." Zangan identified the general area within the holographic valley. "About three or four hours from Kalm by buggy."

Speaking in to the COMM one more time, Cid Highwind warned the crew. "Alright folks. We're about to travel through the void, no I'm not kidding. Get ready for arrival!"

* * *

"The WRO headquarters is an isolated target, Kunsel common, nip this threat in the bud." Veld coaxed. Tipping Kunsel's head up with the end of an EMR. "Nothing?" He next taunted. "What can't manage it, can't do what it takes to rid this planet of the alien Jenova and its legacy? Of those who have been tainted by ShinRa, deepground, Hojo and Kilmister?"

Kunsel shook ees head, vehemently refusing with all ee had left to be swayed by the hyper ee had been forced to take, and the confu magic that Veld had cast over em. "The WRO's a non profit citizen volunteer movement. Hundreds of innocent people are at the headquarters every day, for some it's home, Shelke and her family…" Kunsel told emself. Though shaking uncontrollably from cold, burns inflicted by electric shock, blood loss, and further abuse by blunt force. Kunsel resisted, Zax would get em out of here, ee held to that thought. The thought in turn cristalizing into a resilient core, remaining defiant in the face of it all, only tempered by the ill treatment ee received at the hands of this enemy.

"Eat chocobo dust." Kunsel got past the blood in ees mouth.

Veld deftly reeled back, to slam his EMR down on Kunsel's thighs.

Ee bit off an agonized cry. When the electricity left em at last, shaking worse than before, ee took in several ragged breaths to steady emself. At length ee opened ees eyes, one organic the other a materia, ees gaze slid sideways, like it was being pulled by a magnetic force. Seeing past Veld, and past the mouth of the sunken cave, towards a fair december sky. For an instant ee was afraid ee would see Meteor marching on the horizon, instead ee saw a massive airship.

Ee was growing light headed, ees lungs were burning, ee could feel ees hands trembling and wet with blood bound to the arms of the chair. But ee trusted Zax was aboard that ship, that was all the encouragement ee needed. Now Kunsel just had to focus on surviving, after all he had plans to visit Zax's home village with him, ee wouldn't miss that for the world.

Veld followed Kunsel's line of sight with his own eyes. "It looks like your friends have found us, and a lot sooner than I was expecting too." He murmured. Passing over to a duffel bag that lay on the ground, Veld withdrew from it a rifle and armor piercing rounds. "Courtesy of Don Corneo." He commented on the weapon.

The loud roar of The Shera, hovering maybe seventy yards directly overhead, echoed in the cave system. Soon the sound of the airships engines was joined by Veld expertly aiming several warning shots, despite that he still had the use of only one arm.

Veld was distracted, and the hyper as well as the confu spell were wearing off. Seizing the opportunity, Kunsel tugged hard against the cables restraining em. They cut painfully in to ees arms legs and middle, fitted with razors as they were. But ee didn't let up, eventually the solid wood chair ee had been bound to broke apart, throwing em to the ground.

Kunsel's first instinct now that ee was unrestraned, was to retrieve a weapon from Veld's bag. Except, when ee tried to stand, the pain almost caused em to blackout. Ee realized ees legs were broken.

The sound of the chair splintering, brought Veld's attention back to Kunsel. Hissing with annoyance he dropped the rifle, and drew his hand gun, leveling the weapon at Kunsel. He stayed out of range of the Shera's precision weaponry, beneath the lip of the cave, before speaking. "Cast the magic that will call to Meteor, or I will shoot." He was not bluffing.

Kunsel wasn't sure ee would be able to hold onto consciousness long enough now to cast the least spell, let alone muster ees magical power to draw forth meteor, even if ee had been willing to.

* * *

When The Shera and everyone aboard, emerged from the howling depths of oblivion, in to the sun high above the cave system were Veld was holding Kunsel captive. The Airship immediately came under fire, though the bullets did little damage to the Shera's mythril armoring.

Zax was the first to the expansive windows, followed by Jemnezmy, Zangan, Cloud and Genesis who was carrying the safe still.

"Kunsel!" Zax burst out, catching sight of his best friend collapsed on the cave floor.

"Look, there's Felicia!" Cloud pointed out Felicia with a hoverbike, taking cover behind a rock formation, just outside the area dotted with landmines.

Felicia in turn was looking up at them, waving to them through the glass portion of the bridge floor. She turned from waving, to pointing at herself, then the airship.

"She's asking to be brought aboard." Zax announced.

Cid instructed some of his crew to go to bay 9, go down to Felicia, and take an extra airboard so that she could return with them. He instructed a second portion of the crew to provide cover fire while this was happening.

"We have to go over the plan with her." Genesis reminded the party, his voice solemn.

Zax watched Felicia and the members of the crew, maneuver through the air, in the direction of the bay doors. He hated the thought of divulging the plan. She had been through so much already. Besides that she was important to Kunsel, which meant Zax wanted to lookout for her as best he could, but he didn't think there was any avoiding it. She had the right to know.

Felicia was brought directly to the bridge, on arrival she sought out Zax. "Thank Minerva you're here!" She dashed to meet him.

Zax joined her partway across the deck, wrapping her in a hug, Felicia offering the same comfort in return.

"We came to help get Kunsel home." He told her needlessly, she already knew that was why he was here.

"What happened, you have wings! Are you alright?"

"I recall on the highway near Cosmo Canyon, several of my...copies took on similar traits after ingesting a cutting of Fair's hair. Nero also developed arachnid and evilhead like traits once he was dosed with some of Zaxs DNA taken by Kilmister."

"Jenova had something like the same effect on Sephiroth." Cloud put in. "He developed all these insect features, during the fight at the northern crater."

"I'm fine." Zax's reassured Felicia. "But there's something you need to know about the plan for Kunsel's rescue. It's going to be hard to hear." He warned.

She lowered her head. Then tentatively. "If Veld has to die, I can live with that. But let me...be the one to carry it out."

"You're sure?" Zangan stepped forward, concern etched clearly in his features.

"Yes." Felicia told them all in a clear unwavering voice. "He is not my father, but I'll do him a last honor. Nore do I want to shy from this."

Jemnezmy inclined her head. Zax also understood the sentiment, the compulsion to take action when things became personal.

"If The Shera's crew provides cover, I might be able to get past the landmines on airboard and in to the caves unseen." Zangen countered. He made for the door off the bridge towards the bay, as if in preparation to carry out this plan.

Zax caught his shoulder. "No, in all likelihood you'll be killed." He protested. Kunsel had never known ees father, he wasn't about to let the old fighter die on his watch, before they could meet.

"I've lived a long life, and it would be a worthy way to go. More importantly ee's my kid, If there's a chance…"

Felicia cut him off. "I want Kunsel brought to safety just as much as you do. But you getting killed isn't going to help em. This is my task, Veld won't shoot at me, not right away."

"I'll go too." Zax told her. "You can face Veld, I'll make sure Kunsel gets out safe."

"Kunsel clearly has some good people in ees life." Jemnezmy recognized. "Be careful both of you. Bring em back."

Genesis reluctantly handed Felicia the safe with it's bomb hidden inside.

"We'll cover you ourselves." Cloud offered. He motioned for Genesis to follow him off the deck.

Genesis produced his sword from inside his coat as he retreated. In it's guard, a transfigured goddess materia glinted dangerously.

It wasn't long after their departure from the deck, that Cloud and Genesis appeared in the skys outside the airship. The latter carrying Cloud and using his wing to keep them both aloft, while the two of them aiming volley after volley at Veld, employing the materia equipped to their swords in their casting. Cloud had opted for a barrage of fire. Genesis's magic was a magenta color Zax remembered well from their battle beneath Banora, and wherever Veld moved the shadow flair pursued him until he could counterattack with his own magic.

Intent on taking advantage of the distraction that Cloud and Genesis were risking themselves to give her, Felicia also left the deck to return to bay 9.

Zax glanced towards Kunsel's parents, then back down towards the caves as Cid angled The Shera to better optimize the path of Felicia's decent. It had been hard to keep his eyes from the scene bellow, and now that the glass floor offered a view to the floor of the caves, the sight had Zaxs heart jackhammering with equal parts fear and fury. There was Kunsel, on collapsed on ees side unmoving, Zax had to trust ee was alive. Veld at least was no longer concentrating on the airship or Kunsel, but shooting at two airborne spell casters instead. Now It was up to Felicia to hold his attention steady, so Zax could move in. "We'll make it through buddy, you and me." He murmured under his breath like a plea.

"That's what you're transformation's about isn't it?" Zangan spoke up. "During the battle with the Exiles on the way to the docs, Kunsel's life was threatened, and this transformation was a defensive reaction."

"When the truck crashed into K's buggy, I thought they might have got em." Zax confessed. His wings flaring minutely at the memory of that terrible instant.

Holding the safe in plane sight, Felicia sailed down on airboard, from bay 9 to the cave bellow. While Cloud and Genesis kept Veld busy.

Felecia shouted at Veld, when she came within hearing range. "Don't shoot!" While she corkscrewed down on to the cave floor.

Her mouth felt dry, and blood rushed in hear ears. But she forced herself to look at the man before her. Veld had been her enemy once before when she had lead the first iteration of AVALANCHE, after discovering their relationship to one another she had made a great effort to repair some type of bridge between them. Now she knew that he had really been her foe all along, he just haden't had a reason to act against her until now.

"Felicia!" At first he displayed shock, though he was able to mask it quickly. "If you've come to trade make a trade, call off your magic casters." He ordered.

resting the safe on the ground, and placing herself between it and Veld. Felicia took up her COMM in order to contact Cloud. While she did so, she noticed a smoke like mass forming behind Veld, next to an unconscious Kunsel.

Two familiar wings emerged from the smoke, the rest of Zax followed, stepping quietly out of nowhere. Kneeling by Kunsel Zax very gently eased Kunsel's arms around em in a secure hold.

"Cloud, I made it. You and Genesis get back to The Shera, make ready for our retreat." Felicia spoke in to the COMM, giving no indication that she had seen Zax's arrive.


	9. Chapter 9

While Balto taped Nunchaku and Shotgun's arms to their side, and similarly bound their legs. Cissnei stepped around the wreckage of the Gongaga reactor, to a spot were she had reception but could still keep an eye on Balto and the captured Exiles, in case the latter tried something.

Retrieving her PHS from her pocket, she hit quick dial.

"Yo." Reno answered distractedly.

"Reno. Balto and I just fought and captured Shotgun and Nunchaku. We're ok, just some bruises." She informed.

"Nice! You reckon they can be reformed?"

"I don't know. But they did tell me this…" She hesitated, knowing that the news would not be easy for Reno to hear. "...Marlene Wallace as well as Elmyra the woman who was watching her, have both been taken hostage, abducted from Kalm by Don Corneo."

"What!? Shiva! They've been taken to his safe house in Junon? I have to get out there..." To someone there at station 0 with him, probably Rude. He called. "We're going to Junon, prep the helicopter."

"Yes, that's what we're being told. They say Corneo panicked when things started to go south for Veld, in response he had his own people kidnap the two, as leverage to barter for his own safety we're guessing." Cissnei answered Reno's question as to the location of the kidnapping victims. "But be cautious, it could be a trap set by Veld and the Exiles."

"Yeah, ok. Rude and I have got to get going, but Knife will be here at station zero if you need to call again."

"Than Knife sided with us, that's great news. I'll let you go...and Reno?"

"Hum?"

"Do as all a favore."

"This time, I'll be sure the job's done properly." He ended the call.

* * *

"Ok, now tell Captain Cid Highwind to turn the airship around, and go back to the WRO headquarters." Veld insisted.

Felicia reluctantly got Cid on the COMM, to relay the demand.

"What about you and that Kunsel?" Cid asked fretfully tactfully not mentioning Zax.

From were he crouched behind Veld, holding Kunsel. Zax made eye contact with her just for an instance.

"We'll be ok." She told the Captain. She had to trust that whatever Zax had done to get down here, he could do again to get them all out.

"We're all holding you to that." Cid grudgingly agreed. The Shera began its retreat, allowing sunlight to spill in to the caves.

Satisfied, when the Shera was gone from the horizon. Veld offered, almost pleadingly. "We have the safe, you could come with us...with me...Felicia please."

Felicia began to shake her head.

Veld pushed again. "We're each others only family. If you're with me, I could even allow Kunsel to go free. You have the power to call down Meteor too."

Shock and repulsion both lanced through her. "You're wrong, Sears, Kunsel Fang and Noa, Zax, Cissnei and Balto too. They have all been a better family than you ever were." She felt hot tears on her face, and she sniffed loudly. "You covered up my mother's murder, your own wife. Just to maintain some empty sense of duty fulfilled. And now you want me to serve your purpose taken to its logical extreme? I don't know what magic you think Kunsel or I have. But if you're right, and I let you call on Meteor? You'll destroy the planet like you destroyed Kalm...You're the monster, a beast dressed up like a man."

Veld nodded. "The only way I can be sure you're safe, is if you come with me. Persuasion might change your mind." Then he turned about leveling his gun at Kunsel. Only to have Zax lash out at him, the element of surprise giving him an edge over Veld.

Zax's wing cut an arc through the distance between them, one barb catching Veld across the neck, causing blood to run down and stain his collar.

Despite having been taken unaware. Veld's keen reflexes allowed him to fire round after round in pursuit of Zax, who had Kunsel under his arm, and was running to avoid being hit.

"No papa!" Felicia cried. Without a second thought she dived at her father to restel the gun from him.

They struggled for possession of the weapon, until a crack sounded in the echoing space.

"Felicia!" She heard Zax shout her name.

A small wet gasp fluttered between her lips, warm red blood spilled free from her chest.

Veld staggered back, white faced in contrast with the red of his blood, still trickling from under his chin.

She stumbled back also, in to Zax, who rushed forward to carry her and Kunsel in to the air on vast wings.

* * *

Zax had never flown under his own power before, but somehow the act came naturally to him. He was barely even aware of his wings spread to the fullest at either side of him, propelling them through open space.

As he flew, weaving rolling and diving to avoid the gun fire that Veld sent after them. He held tight to Kunsel unconscious under his left arm. And Felicia close to unconscious under his right. He had been disturbed by having produced evilhead like wings, not at all how an angel's were often depicted. Now he was grateful, he knew from watching a nature documentary, that black bat and evilhead wings were designed for maneuverability.

Still, when the marksman was as good as Veld, he would not be able to avoid the fire long enough for them to make it out of range. This he discovered when an armor piercing round, glanced the the buster at his back. Fortunately the buster resisted the hit well.

"Genesis!" Felicia called in to her COMM, shouting over the rushing wind.

"I'm here. What's going on?" He responded.

"Detonate the bomb!" She sobed.

"Are you all out of range?"

"Yes!" Felicia lied. She closed the channel, and weakly lifted her hand to take a hold of Kunsel's, her other hand she used to eclipse Zax's.

A low bone jarring boom erupted from behind them, they heard the sound of the land minds being triggered to go off also, the rush of the explosion gaining on them. Then oblivion concentrated to envelop and carry them away, just before the shock wave could reach them.

* * *

Reno approached the safehouse in lower R Junon, at a stroll that drew no attention. It was raining, the droplets of water pattering against the fabric of his umbrella, which he shook out on reaching the awning of a small items shop.

Disguised as he was in a beanie, coat and makeup. His vibrant hair hidden, and the tattoos crossing beneath his eyes concealed. He was able to stakeout Corneo's place unnoticed.

Fishing his handset out of his coat pocket, Reno checked his mail.

[To: Turk Reno][From: Turk Rude][Subject: Ready][Mail: I'm in position and ready to extract you and the hostages at any time.]

While he was reading the mail Rude had sent, he heard the sound of several people passing behind him. Switching to the camera function, then the selfie option, he watched a dozen confused and scared looking woman being prompted along by a handful of Corneo's people.

Telling himself it was now or never. Reno passed quickly back the way he had come, to the door of a building for lease, that he he observed previously. Stepping into the recess out of sight, he shed his beanie, coat, trousers and steel toes. Underneath the coat he wore a striped hilo dress, with a crochet scarf, and leggings. From the coates pockets he retrieved a pair of ankle boots. His hairtail had already been arranged in to a crown braid. So when he was ready, he quickly stepped out on to the path, hurrying to hatch up to the group of women.

Reno and the others were left at the safehouse side door, with the guard posted there. The guard ushered them all in without question, though one of the ladies resisted.

"Who am I showing in first?" The guard, a sleazy grin on his face, asked.

Before any decision could be made for them. Reno stepped forward, keeping his eyes cast down. "I'll do it." He hoped that the ire in his voice sounded like nerves.

"Right this way Fire." The guard lead Reno by the arm none to gently, through the lounge, then pushed him into a private sitting room. "Remember your manners." Was the guards parting advice.

Many of Corneo's blackmail photos had been burned in the sector 6 fire. But clearly he had managed to amass a new collection, used for extorting the funds that went to Veld. They papered the walls of the sitting room.

A window fixed in the door across the sitting room, showed an adjoining bedroom. the glimpse told Reno the bedroom was as tastelessly decorated as the rest of the place, gaudy without any cozyness.

"Well, come in my dear." Corneo's shrill voice, familiar to Reno's ears, beaconed from the bedroom.

Taking a deep breath to fortify himself, Reno crossed the space and Pushed open the door. His first act upon entering the room was to let his EMR fall out of his flute sleeve, with a flick it extended, it's end targeting Corneo who was sitting up in bed.

"Reno!" He blustered at once.

"Hi, Yeah, I'm here for Marlene and Elmyra. So get on the room service, and order their release. I'll know if they are freed or not."

"Damn you…damn Veld too, we had a good thing with Rufus and the WRO." He growled. Then he tried. "I could set you up for life, divert the gil that was going to Veld, and give it to you?"

"Nope." Reno shook his head. "You disappoint me with that one. By the way, the reason for doing business with you? It was always to trace you." He gestured with his free hand at the receiver that linked Corneo to his men.

Doing as Reno had commanded. Corneo spoke to his guards. "Those two we took from Kalm...it's time to let them free...Yes I know what I'm doing." He cleared his throat, then he slammed the receiver back on to it's base angrily. "Happy?"

Reno knew what was coming, knew that Corneo's clearing of the throat was a signal. A miller second before the guard from the lounge burst through the door, Reno had turned and fired neo Turk light, sending both door and guard flying back aflame.

A second guard leaned around the door frame aiming a gun at him. Reno steped out of the path of the first unsteady shot, then kicked the gun from the man's hands. Last he hit the man in the ribs with full voltage from his mag rod. The man crumpled to the carpet dead.

Corneo made a strangled sound, hurriedly he dug a COMM out from the bedding. "Let them go! The woman and the girl from Kalm, they're free to leave!" He barked his orders. Puffing hard he eyed Reno.

A moment later rhythmic finger snapping filled the silence, Reno's ringtone. "Rude, how's it going?" He answered the call.

"I have Elmyra and the Wallace girl." Rude reported.

"Good!" This confirmed Reno turned his neo Turk light spell on Corneo.

On his way out to tell the women that they too could go, he scorched the photos lining the walls. A bitter smile playing over his lips.


	10. Chapter 10

**Authors note:** Thank you readership for 76 hits! With this chapter published, that's FFVII: Core Metallicity completed. I would like to write a oneshot third installment about Kunsel and Felicia dealing with the trauma they've experienced. But that will have to wait for some further inspiration.

 **Warning:** the sex scene and discussion of sex begins when Zax covers his face with his hands. It ends when Kunsel holds ees hands out for Zax to pull em up.

* * *

As soon as Zax, still holding on to Kunsel and Felicia, had tumbled from the smoke like void, through the WRO headquarters main doors. Shelke and a slew of medics had sprung into action, some stemming his friends bleeding, others fetching gurneys used to move Kunsel and Felicia to surgery. Zax ran to keep up staying by Kunsel's side, babbling assurances partly to em, partly for his own benefit. "It's going to be ok, you're going to be fine buddy."

When Kunsel and Felicia were entered in to the surgery, Shelke held him back saying. "Let the medics work, they'll take good care of em and Felicia, I promise." Her grip on his arm was as firm as her voice.

Almost like her words had given some permission, the adrenaline evaporated from Zax, leaving him to crash. Removing the buster from its harness at his back, he dropped in to one of the seats lining the corridor outside of the surgery, and pressed his feverishly hot brow to the flat of the cool blade.

Shelke took up the seat next to him, she didn't speak for a long while, not until Zax had propped his sword on the floor to rest his arms on the guard.

"Those wings are new…they suit you."

Zax frowned, once he might have thought that they were monstrous. Now he thought about the handshake he had shared with Jemnezmy who had proudly painted her talons with cherry colored polish, about Genesis's carrying Cloud through the sky while they defended The Shera, about what Cissnei always said. 'Wings symbolize freedom for those who have none. They don't symbolize monsters.' Most of all he considered how these wings had helped him get his friends to safety in the end.

"I guess you're right." Zax assented. "Still, if the offer stands, I think it's time I got checked out." If his new body had any more surprises for him, he wanted to know what to expect in advance.

Standing once more, Shelke paced over to a dispenser machine that looked a lot like a jukebox. Punching in the code for the items she wanted, she came back to Zax with a wrapped sering, gauze and disinfectant.

First she cleaned the inside of of his elbow, then because a vain already stood out prominently, she slipped the needle beneath his skin and drew a blood sample. Lastly she taped the gauze over the puncture. "I'll be back soon with any results."

"Ok."

Reeve found them at that moment. Hurrying along the hall as well as he could, carrying two hot carob drinks. He offered one to Shelke before she left for the WRO laboratories, the other he gave to Zax

While Reeve promised that he had the WRO's best medical personal working on Kunsel and Felicia, and that everything possible was being done for them. Zax listened attentively, he found himself grateful also when the man asked no questions.

At last Reeve was called away again, to make a public statement about the explosion in the Midgar valley.

Zax switched his focus, responding to an influx of mail from Cissnei and his cousin Balto in Gongaga. They having learned what happened from Cid Highwind.

[To: Zax][From: Tian][Subject: Are you all ok?][Mail: Where are you, what's happened, where's Veld?]

[To: The cuzy][From: Balto][Subject: Zax please reply!][Mail: We just heard from Vincent that you brought Kunsel and Felicia to the WRO HQ for emergency medical attention. What's going on?]

They were clearly worried, so was Zax. At the same time it was a comfort to mail two of his loved ones in reply, it gave his hands something to do and kept him from panicking worse than he was, while he put the details in order for them.

[To: Cissnei][To: The cuzness][From: Zax][Subject: from the WRO][Mail: We managed to get out of the caves and away from the explosion in time. But K's real beat up, and Felicia was shot. Yes they're being taken care of right now. I'm ok, Shelke's helping me get checked up, since the J cells in this body are less stable I developed wings (I don't think it's degradation, don't worry).]

Zax was gazing at the screen of his PHS, without really seeing, his hot carob gone cold on the seat beside him. When one of the doctors emerged from the surgery.

"How is ee?" His heart jackhammered, blood rushed in his ears, he felt light headed.

"They're both going to be just fine with some time to recover."

Zax felt his wings flair with relife, a rush of happiness came next, his spirit lifting like it too had wings.

* * *

Barret floored it out of Edge, taking the most direct highway leading to Junon. After the battle with the Exiles had been won, he had checked his PHS. In his mail he had discovered Argento had contacted him earlier about his daughter's kidnapping, she had mailed a second time to assure him that Reno had Marlene. And though he knew Marlene was safe and uninjured, she had gone through a lot. He had to be there for her, and nothing was going to delay him getting to his kid.

Aeris likewise was on her way to Kalm with Tifa, to visit her adoptive mother, who was taken along with Marlene. Rude was delivering her back to her home in a second helicopter.

The glare of the evening sun made it difficult to look for Reno's helicopter. But part way to Junon he spotted its lights.

Pulling over in his truck. Barret set off a flair, signaling to the two Turk pilot that it was him, and that he could land.

"Dad!" Marlene cried once she had poured from the helicopters passenger compartment. The winds stirred up by the rotor blades threw her hair about her face, and almost seemed to lift her off her feet so tiny was she.

"Sweetheart!" He knelt, arms wide open. Marlene crashed in to him at full pelt, and he hugged her tight, pressing his lips to the top of her head in a kiss.

Looking up through tears Barrett spotted Reno, who was wearing a dress over slacks and under a winter coat. "Thank you, thank you for getting my baby back."

"She was a trooper. If I hadn't come along, she would have had them all at her mercy." Reno put in. Offering a wave once he was back in the pilot's seat, he took to the air, leaving Barrett with his family.

Carrying Marlene on his arm, Barrett returned to the truck. while Marlene showed him the purse and scarf that Reno had gifted to her, and told him about the breakin at Elmyra's, as well as the rest of the ordeal.

* * *

Sliding around the door frame in to the room were Kunsel's operation took place, Zax sighted Kunsel right away.

Ee was sitting on the edge of the operating table, dressed in white cotton pants a tshirt and an eyepatch, he looked shaky and drained. But when ee saw Zax ee smiled so that ees dimples pinched even more prominently. Tears identical to Zax's own, welled in ees eye and slid down from under ees patch to patter on ees knees. "Lets not knock heads just yet, I don't think my bonce can take any more." Ee held out ees arms for a hug.

Zax let go of a stuttering breath, in Kunsel's embrace with his arms around ees shoulders, his brow pressed to Kunsel's hair. Something broke apart in him, and he ducked his head to dry his eyes on Kunsel's sholder.

For his part, Kunsel navigated Zax's wings to give him a tight hug. "I knew you would get me out of there." Ee got out, though ees voice was as shaky as ee looked.

Kunsel had always been stiff lipped about survival, about the things ee endured too. But Zax knew that this didn't mean he was unaffected, like anyone ee bore the scars of ees battles. Sometimes Kunsel could overcome ees staunch guarded nature, to vent to seek comfort or confide, honoring Zax with ees trust in those moments. Zax knew well that they weren't out of the woods just because ee would be ok physically, however he promised himself that he would wait until Kunsel felt safe enough to talk. But for now, all either of them wanted was to soak in the present.

"The other patient, Felicia's being taken to the recovery ward. We are ready to move you also." The doctor spoke gently, addressing Kunsel, when she stepped in to the room behind Zax.

"Felicia, what happened to her. Is she ok, and Veld? Oh planet…" Kunsel said all at once, strength coming back into ees voice.

"We'll get you to her right away." The doctor stepped aside for the rest of her team to roll in a bed.

Kunsel protested. "I can walk. Zax if you'll give me a hand?"

"Yeah." Zax slung one of Kunsel's arms of his shoulders, so that Kunsel could get to his feet. Curling a wing about em instinctively, once ee was upright.

"Is it safe for em to be walking around so soon?" Zax belatedly thought to ask the gathered doctors, who in his defense hadn't tried to stop them.

"Yes, as long as you have support. You responded well to the the cure3 we used, and the regen spell, as well as the high dose of elixir and the phoenix down. Just avoid any strenuous work, or the use of magic for a few weeks." The doctor spoke with Kunsel directly. "Before you go…" She handed em a small plastic pot, within floating in some type of solution, was the one and only black materia. "We removed this from your eye socket, so as not to complicate the procedure, by possibly pushing your magical tolerance." She didn't seem to realize the significance of the thing.

Kunsel slid the materia into Zax pocket, ees own pants having non. "Thank you, I appreciate it." Ee's voice betrayed nothing.

When they arrived at the recovery ward, they discovered Felicia was wake, and she had just had cait Sith for a visitor. Cait held the door open for Zax and Kunsel on his way out, which they both thanked him for.

"Kunsel, it's so good to see you!" Felicia welcomed. "Zax, there you are!" She was sitting up in bed. Despite her haggard appearance she beamed at them.

Zax had told Kunsel about the expulsion that had killed Veld, on their way from the surgery. They both knew she needed good suportave company right now. Lowering Kunsel to sit on the edge of her bed, Zax stepped back a moment to let Kunsel give Felicia a proper hug, without Zax's wings in the way.

"I heard what happened." Kunsel began.

"I think I knew it would end like it did, there wasn't really any other way it could go. Now that it has happened, I can begin to take back my life." Felicia seemed to tell herself.

"Ok, but remember. You don't need to be brave about it, not for my sake at least."

She nodded. "When I need to talk about it, I know you'll listen."

"So long as you do." Ee squeezed her hand.

Having heard the sounds of approach from the hall, Kunsel turned ees eye in the direction of the ward door when it opened to admit two people. Zax followed ees line of sight.

There stood Jemnezmy and Zangan, windblown from coming direct from The Shera's landing sight on the WROs causeway no doubt.

Kunsel looked like a chocobo in headlights. Zax and Felicia both set a hand on either one of ees shoulders, so that ee would know they were there for em.

"Jemnezmy!?" Ee broke the tense quiet. "You look just like the photos. So you're…? "

"Your…mother yes." She answered em up front.

Zangan shifted to hold his partners hand, the gesture seemed to steady her.

"We're your parents. My name's Zangan, I learned of you a few years ago."

Jemnezmy's explanation came in a flood. "It's no excuse, but you deserve to know what happened. The truth, I always intended to come back from that job in the south of the new continent, but I got in hot water with ShinRa and the Turks. I stayed underground because I didn't want to lead trouble home, then Kalm was bombed and I thought…I had lost you and my sister both. Your father and I ran into each other again a few years ago, this time we made it official and tied the knot. Then I learned about Fuhito's ravens, that line of inquiry lead me to discover that you survived and have a new name now…It's much better than the one I chose." Her lips trembled. "Knowing you're alive, that's all I need."

"It's ok." Kunsel put in quickly, with a sureness. "Aunt Trader always said You and I were alike. I can see it now, we've lived our lives similarly. I'd like to get to know you…both of you. Uhhh, just, I'll use your names."

"That's absolutely fine, it's been so long, and you're all grown up too."

"You know, Trader made it out of Kalm alive also. She's living in Condor with Swayer. I reckon she'd appreciate a visit from her sister this december." Ee suggested.

Jemnezmy and Zangan discussed the idea interestedly. Zax observed Kunsel smile approvingly when they would include Zax and Felicia in the conversation like he was family, and she was their own.

They had moved to the topic of Felicia's training in martial arts, and how long it would be before she was recovered enough to return to the practice. by time Shelke slipped in to the ward.

Shelke stood off to the side like she would wait, but Kunsel waved her over.

"Do you have…any results?" Zax asked tentatively. His wings doing a nervous jump.

Understanding that Zax didn't mind if the thing was discussed in front of the others. Shelke produced a bottle of what looked like vitamins. "The J cells in your body aren't yet as stable as they were before. The J cells will eventually integrate again, but until then you might sprout wings if you're given a fright or your stress levels rise, they may hang around for a week or more after they emerge." She tapped the lid of the bottle with her finger. "These pills are mostly sugar, but they contain a low dose of the tranquilizers Deepground developed to suppress Soldier, or rather suppress the J cells used to augment Soldier operatives. They aren't harmful, and they'll allow you to live more comfortably, until the wings stop appearing without the use of medicinal suppressants. One every morning with breakfast should be enough."

"So my wings will eventually go away for good?" Zax sought clarification. "And I was just beginning to warm up to them." He half joked.

Even Shelke laughed a little at this, Felicia shook her head with amusement, Zangan's eyes twinkled with humor, and Jemnezmy snorted in just the same way Kunsel sometimes did. Kunsel patted the wing nearest em.

"So I should see a doctor regularly to monitor the state of my J cells?" Zax queried.

"I would like to offer my own services in that regard. I'm not yet a doctor, but I believe I'm as skilled as any. And like my own, I understand your experience with doctors has been…damaging. I can promise that my care will be as noninvasive as it is possible, and that your autonomy will be my first priority."

Zax ingested one of the pills Shelke gave him. "I know that I can trust you Shelk, and I'll definitely take you up on the offer. When should I visit the WRO next?" It was a relief to know that he would be able to track his health in a safe environment, for the first time.

"February next year I think, we'll discuss a more exact date by mail."

"Thanks, you're amazing." Zax told her for all of them.

Turning from Zax to Kunsel and Felicia, Shelke recommended. "Some sleep will do you two good. Also our doctors asked me to mention that you're free to go, so long as you're careful about your health." She dipped her head and smiled in that dry but sincere manner of hers. Arrangements made, she left them to their privacy.

"She's right…" Kunsel spoke up. "We should all get some quality horizontal time. "But I would rather wake up in my own surroundings."

They all agreed with em.

Jemnezmy and Zangen offered their contact details, as well as their parting words. Promising to say hello to Trader and Swayer, and to visit the plate. Zax saw them out for Kunsel, once they were ready to be on their way.

"We should head back too. It's already dark out." Felicia noticed. "I could use a breath of mountain air first though."

Sure enough, the sky was mythril studded black beyond the the wards windows, the view did tempt a stroll.

Together arm in arm, the three of them left the Ward for the causeway. Outside wandering aimlessly at a slow pace, they pointing out stars they knew. While Zax wings folded and shimmered out of existence entirely, the lifestream that they were comprised from, rejoining the rest of his form.

Eventually, a familiar voice hailed them.

"Zax, Kunsel, Felicia!"

"Cloud!" Zax greeted his good friend. Taking note of Cloud's adopted son following after, he went on. "And Denzel too, I've been looking forward to meeting you. You're not far off the age Cloud was when I meet him you know, two or three more years." He crouched to match the boys height.

"You're Soldier!" Denzel realized, his eyes taking in Zax Kunsel and Felicia.

"K and I were with Soldier once. Yes." Zax told the young man.

"I used to lead the original Avalanche." Felicia corrected.

Denzel looked to Cloud, mingled awe and interest clear on his face. "You told me about them!"

"Hey Genesis, you're looking festiv." Directing his comment at the last of Cloud's little grupe. Zax rosse again.

Genesis offered a theatrical bow. "Just seeing these two off on their way home." Addressing Cloud and Denzel. "It's been a pleasure."

"Next time, visit Avalanche in Edge?" Cloud invited.

"I may do." He told Cloud ambiguously. "You lot take care." He bade them, eyeing the recently injured Kunsel and Felicia in particular. Well wishes bestowed, Genesis's wing shot forth, carrying him in to the sky back towards the WRO residential block.

"We should be going too." Cloud, gestured to a truck, his Fenrir loaded on to the back. "The people at the recovery ward said you three had already left, so I'm glad we ran into each other after all."

"For true!" Zax meet Cloud in a brief but tight hug. "Drive safe."

"And uuuh, teleport yourselves through the void safe." Cloud's mouth quirked in to a closed lipped grin. He clapped hands with Kunsel, and shook Felicia's.

In turn they each thanked Cloud for his part in the collaborative battle. And waved he and Denzel on towards their borrowed transportation.

"What do you say we head home ourselves?" Zax looped his arms around the shoulders of his two companions.

"I'm in." Felicia did sound sleepy.

Kunsel jabbed him in the side, his ribs being exposed to the playful attack.

"Oi, you!" Zax chided laughingly. Drawing them into oblivion.

The arrived just outside of station 0. First to meet them on their way up the stairs to the main doors, where Fang and Noa. The pair from station 8 rushed down to embrace all three of them, and help them inside.

"Thank Gaia!" Fang exclaimed. "Thank Gaia." She repeated. "You're safe. Reeve got in contact with us, he told us what happened."

"How are the reformed Turks?" Felicia asked. But her question was answered for her, by Knife hurrying across the foyer to her.

"So you three made it against the odds." Knife welcomed. "Reno and Rude just got back from Junon." The two mentioned Turks, waved and nodded respectively, from the back of the foyer.

"As for us reformed Turks? Emma, Elena and Yuffie are taking the others to meet with Vincent. We've agreed to join Cissnei and Balto as the go between for the WRO and Rufus."

Despite being busy, Argento came over to them also. "You three have successfully helped bring this issue to a close, before it became a bigger crisis. We were only hoping to free Emma, instead you've helped out a lot of people. But I'm sure you're all tiered…" Looking at Felecia she added. "…and not in the mood to celebrate. We made ready your accommodations. You can rest up there in peace and quiet. We'll go over things fully at a later date."

On their last legs, they migrated to the lift. Noa leading them, and stopping the lift at the 49th floor.

Bedding had been set up for them in the one time Soldier lounge area, along with candles for light, so that they would not need to draw from the generators more than necessary. There was even a kettle waiting to go on the solar powered element for hot carob.

They were all exhausted. But Zax's mind was still running a mile a minute, elation at their survival mingled curiously with a persistent tranquil somberness. He suspected his friends too had mixed feelings, and would find sleep hard to comby.

So gathering about the table, and a thermos of carob. Felecia and he played cards by the cheerful light of flickering candles. Kunsel sang and strummed at his mandolini, Fang and Noa having brought the instrument to station 0 for em.

Talking in quiet tones about what should happen next. "I hope Argento and her people will be staying on." Felicia said. "It's companionable around here with them about."

"Good point, they were stationed here for one reason only, it'd be hard to maintain this base without them." Zax realized.

"I reckon I'm going to go take a shower." Kunsel said at length. "I need to wash this day away."

"I'ma J I if that's cool?." Zax got up also.

"I'll try and get some rest I think." Felicia thought aloud.

"You'll be alright on your own?" Kunsel asked to be sure.

"Thanks for checking. But yeah, I'll be ok. I think my limits are catching up with me, I can hardly keep my eyes open." As if illustrating her point, she yawned despite her attempt to suppress it.

Kunsel rubbed her shoulder on ees return to the lift.

Reaching the floor that had once served as the staff gym. Zax and Kunsel took up a shower stall each.

The water was hot, doing a lot to sooth Zax's aches and pains. In the stall next to him, he heard Kunsel hiss with mingled pain and contentedness.

He glanced towards the laundry basket on the seat in the changing area, sitting atop his clothing was the black materia in the bottle of solution still. It had something to do with what had happened, Zax knew that much.

The memory, only a day old, of Kunsel bloody and near death came unwelcomed, back to Zax mind with a vividness. Shaking his head beneath the water, he tried to dispel the image. In a voice that keept sticking with emotion, he told Kunsel softly. "I don't know what I would have done if…I would never have forgiveen myself if you'd been killed back there."

Kunsel's voice filtered from over the dividing wall. "Hey, It's ok we all made it." Ee reached one hand over to Zax's stall.

Zax took a hold of his friends hand, weaving their fingers together.

"It's like you told me, after you came back from the lifestream. Everything's going to be alright." Ee squeezed Zax's hand in return.

Zax managed a smile. That he could accept, everything would be alright, given some time and work. Releasing Kunsel's hand so he could dry off and get dressed. Zax asked "What are you going to do with the black materia? What did…Veld want with it?"

"That's a good question, I'll hang onto it until I can find a secure place for it, were no one with ill intent can find it. As for Veld? If he was right, then we have something in common, a part of both of us comes from out there past the atmosphere."

Zax heard Kunsel's door unlock and swing open. He hurried out of his own stall to meet em. "You have Jenova ancestry too?"

Kunsel shook ees head beneath the towel ee was using to dry ees hair. "Jemnezmy sent me some mail. She knows a lot about it from her investigations and a book my grandmother passed down to her, as well as her contact with archaeologists and the like." Ee dropped down on to the locker room bench, patting the spot beside em for Zax. Once Zax took a seat, ee continued. "There's been a recently rediscovered people that the WRO's archaeologists are calling Saronians and the Kazus. They came into contact with the Cetra and noncetra humans, brought mythril to the planet using the black materia. And they built The Shera, which seems to have outer space travel capabilities. Based on this and the video holographic records they left behind, It's likely they weren't originally from this planet." Ee blew some of ees still damp hair out of ees face. And looked to Zax, openly wondering what he would make of it.

So that's what it had all been about. Zax nudged Kunsel's shoulder with his own. "Hey, you accept me, and my great great great grandwhatever is the calamity from the skies." He handed Kunsel the black materia. "Speaking of which, I get the feeling you prevented a pretty major calamity today."

Tugging ees patch up, Kunsel fit the black materia in to ees eye socket, then returned the patch to its place. Effectively hiding it until ee found a more permanent place for it.

"Does it let you see like the special support materia used to?"

"It does actually, I better not get to used to it, or I'll be crashing into door frames and things again once we find a place to hide it for good." Ee grinned at the thought.

Zax's heart skipped a beat. He had always found Kunsel attractive for ees sense of humor, nature, and appearance. But right then, ee was all of that, plus alive against the odds. He leaned in without realizing he was doing so, until Kunsel turned ees one silver eye on him.

For the first instant Kunsel looked as surprised as Zax felt, then a blush saturated ees face, the intimacy of the moment clear to both of them.

Close without touching, Zax could even make out the now pale scar crossing ees thin lips were a DG SOLDIER had injured em during their first mission together.

He lurched away, almost toppling off the end of the bench. Zax's heart had skipped a beat, now he felt it might burst. He covered his burning face with his hands.

"You ok?" Kunsel asked gently. "If…"

Zax explained before his courage could fail him. "You know that time we were marathoning all the versions of Loveless, there was that triple zero seven version that shoehorned in a sex scene, we both felt awkward so we skipped past, but we got to talking about the matter."

Ee shook ees head in amusement at the recollection. "We agreed film sex was unrealistic, and kind'a uncomfy looking. Then we realized we both flow between sex natural and repulsed, but felt we would be open to the idea of experimenting together if the conditions were right. Is that what you're thinking now?" Ee broached.

"Normally I don't like the idea of all that, as you know. But if it's you, it feels safe, and like not wrong you know?" He expressed truthfully through his hands. "But…the way I am, I don't know how to make myself feel that kind of pleasure, let alone how to help you a nonbinary person feel good and accepted for who you are. The main thing is I don't want you to feel pressured at all, ugh that would be the worst."

Between his finger, Zax saw that this last comment from him lifted Kunsel's concerned frown.

Ee nudged him with his fist. "I know you'll respect my boundaries and feelings, you won't ask for anything I can't offer."

"I only want what you can give." It was true, Kunsel's boundaries were part of em, and Zax like em just the way ee was. He often thought they were an unusually good fit in that the both appreciated what they had, without feeling the need to mimic the kinds of relationships other people might deem more traditional or more legitimate.

"Which is exactly why I'd be happy to give non-penetrative sex a shot, if you're interested. It might takes us a few attempts to figure each others body out, but that's ok, we can help one another with that…Do you want to try now?"

"Ye…But you're recovery!"

Kunsel laughed fondly. "We'll take it easy."

The anxiety flooded out of him, replaced by affection and excitement.

They came together like before, Zax's palms traced Kunsel's freckled scared arms to ees shoulders.

While ee placed a Kiss on Zax's cheek, Kunsel's fingers slid down his front leisurely in no hurry while ee teased, Finally pausing above the waistband of his sweatpants.

Remembering what ee had said about helping each other to navigate what worked, Zax took a hold of ees hand and guided em down between ees legs, until ees fingers dipped in to the slick channel there. When Kunsel started up a small stroking motion, Zax was taken aback by how enticing the feeling was, but also how tenderly Kunsel touched him.

Wanting to reciprocate in kind, Zax requested between gasps. "Can I? Show me how."

Kunsel responded with a cheerful laugh that came from deep in ees chest. And by sliding his other hand underneath Zax leg, adjusting their angle so that Zax leaned back against the lockers, one leg propped up with his heal on the bench the other pressing between Kunsel's thighs firmly. "You can copy what I do." Ee offered.

Eagerly, Zax did so. Trailing his nails down Kunsel's side, to seacret his fingers beneath ees waistband between the pressure from his hip and Kunsel's own body.

Zax had never experienced pleasure in an orgasm, until Kunsel somehow coaxed it forth, sending stars cascading behind his eyelids and shivers through the rest of him. It was bliss.

It took Zax a little longer to draw the same satisfaction from Kunsel, but Kunsel was patient. And when Zax did bring em to a climax, ees shuddering sigh was reward in a breath.

"Is the world supposed to be spinning?" Zax asked cheekily.

Kunsel snorted and jostled him. "We'll, we took a whack at it. Seems like it was a success all round." Ee returned.

Nestled loosely together, leaning against the lockers, they caught their breath. At last Zax motioned for Kunsel to follow em. "Come on, we better get some rest, you've still got recovering to do."

Kunsel made a big show of holding ees hands out to him, wiggling ees fingers beseechingly. "Help me up."

Zax pulled em in to a hug. As good as the sex had been, nothing would beat a simple hug with his best friend.

When they returned to the SOLDIER lounge. Felicia was already asleep, curled up on one of the three mattresses, with the blankets up to the tip of her nose.

Kunsel held a finger to ees lips, she looked at ease, neither of them wanted to disturb her. Together they slunk through to their own beds nearer the window.

"Zax." Kunsel beckoned for his attention in a whisper. "Sector eight station, have a look, they've put up lights."

Sure enough, on joining Kunsel by the window, he saw that the volunteers at the sector eight station had decorated with lights glowing a gentle gold. He couldn't help the smile that lit up his face.

"You better be impressed. Fang, Noa and I untangled all those lights." Felicia put in, having roused just momentarily to turn over and resuming her sleep.

Zax and Kunsel fell asleep like that. Cloaked in blankets, talking quietly while looking out on the lights of sector 8.

When morning came, Kunsel, Zax and Felicia made it down to the foyer, once their morning ablutions were though. Everyone else Turks, WRO, Fang and Noa were congregating for the day.

"Hey! Fang, Noa great work on the decorations at station eight." Kunsel complement. Zax in vigorously concert.

"We thought you'd like it." Fang welcomed.

"Is Argento about?" Felicia wondered, casting around.

"Good to know I'm missed." Argento stepping of the lift, announced here arrival.

"I wanted to go over things with you and the WRO." Felicia excused herself to join the other woman in conversation.

Kunsel and Zax meanwhile sat down for a hot carob with the Turks Reno, Rude, and Knife.

"So what's to be done about station zero now?" Kunsel asked.

"Rufus and Reeve both think it's a good idea to keep guard over deepground permanently." Said Reno.

"So under supervision by Argento, that's what I'll be doing. Reno and Rude will act as the go between for station zero and Healen." Knife filled them in.

"We'll be coordinating with the WRO, as well as Cissnei and Balto in Gongaga of course." Reno picked up.

"It's all sorted." Rude concluded.

Once their drink where emptied. They found Felicia again, with Fang and Noa.

Like Kunsel and Zax had agreed the night before, Zax offered. "Hey, what do you think about coming with K and I to see Cissnei and Balto? I'm sure they miss you too."

"It's only a short two night stay, so we won't be gone long. If you want to see them before the new year." Kunsel added.

Felecia smiled and seemed cheered just a littl by the idea, but looked to Fang and Noa first.

"Hey…" Fang shrugged. "This is a volunteer gig, you're free to do what you want. And we'll have plenty of help plate side with the rest of the Turks here."

"Then…" Felecia turned back to Kunsel and Zax. "If it's not an imposition, I'd be glad to go with you!"

That sorted, the three of them collected their things. Toothbrushes packed, they waved a see-you-later to those at station 0.

Making their way on foot, to fountain square, under a clear sky. They chatting lightly among themselves about the visit ahead, their breath misting in the crisp air.

Reaching the square, Zax invited Kunsel and Felicia to stand close. Next he drew up oblivion.

The smoky blackness fell away, leaving them on a dirt, road overlooking the Village of Gongaga in mid summer. It's waterfalls glittering in the warm evening glow, wood smoke rising from ground ovens and chimneys, birds and insects chirping in the lush sprawling canopy.

"You made it, and you brought Felicia. Welcome!" Balto making toward their small group, followed by Cissnei. Called from a distance down the same road.

"Good of you to Show!" Cissnei added.

"Hey! So the world didn't end with meteor, and I still owe you that favor." Kunsel said by way of greeting. "How about we head to yours and I make some flatbread for our breakfast your dinner."

"Like we had at Condor." Zax asked hungrily. "I'll help!"

"In that case, I'm having the zeio sauce with my share." Felicia decided.

"Be my guest." Cissnei agreed when they met her and Balto halfway.

Burning and creating a path of light in the sky as it moved through the atmosphere at around 45,000 miles per hour, a shooting star crossed the sky.


End file.
